In news:Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Vehicle Scrappage Policy in India on Friday, 13 August, at the Gujarat Investor Summit and requested youths and start-ups to join the programme.
What is the policy?
Personal vehicles older than 20 years and commercial vehicles older than 15 years will have to undergo a fitness test at government registered ‘automated fitness centres’.
Vehicles that fail to pass the test will be declared as ‘end-of-life vehicles’ meaning that they would have to be recycled. Thus, paving the way for older vehicles to be scrapped.
In case, the vehicles pass the test, the owners will have to pay a hefty fee for re-registration that would be hiked to around eight times for personal vehicles, and around 20 times for commercial vehicles.
The policy is a “waste-to-wealth mission and an important part of the circular economy that will reduce pollution in our cities and also reflect the government’s commitment towards rapid development.
The policy will also bring investments worth more than Rs 10,000 crore and, in the process, create employment opportunities for thousands of youngsters.