New Delhi, Mar 18 (UNI) Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari while making a statement in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday said that the vehicle scrapping policy will be 'win-win' policy for all and this would be reducing pollution.
"The policy will benefit scrapping centres, automobile industry, component industry and common man. India will become world number one manufacturing hub of all the brands that are being manufactured here”, Mr Gadkari said.
He also said that the scrap material that will be manufactured will be useful in the production of electric vehicles. New vehicles will be light weight and the maintenance will also cost less and all the interest of stake holders will be kept safe, he added.
"Electric vehicles' fuel efficiency is high, so it will help the common man as well. It will reduce the import of petrol and diesel and will help the economy.", the Minister said, adding that government will make a provision to purchase new vehicles by eliminating old vehicles and work towards making the country a global hub of vehicle manufacturing in the next five years. This will reduce the imports of on petrol, diesel and promote electric vehicles, he further said.
The policy provides for fitness test after 20 years for personal vehicles, while commercial vehicles would require it after the completion of 15 years.
The Minister also said the policy will provide benefit to scrapping centers, automobile industry, component industry and the common man.
He said the policy will also reduce pollution and create new employment opportunities. He said initially around one crore vehicles could come under the scope of the "Vehicles Scrapping Policy".
Responding to the Minister’s statement, the RJD Member Manoj Kumar Jha requested that proposed discount of 5 percent (for the customers whose vehicle would be scrapped) could be made 15 to 20 percent discount while buying an electric vehicles.
DMK lawmaker said "If we buy a refrigerator for Rs 20,000, sometimes it can be sold only for Rs 500. Middle class people cannot upgrade to a new vehicle. I appreciate the scrapping policy. The scrap value is 4 to 6 percent which the Minister could consider enhancing that."
Replying the Members, Mr Gadkari said that there was more saving these days with new products, new mileages and breaking systems.
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