Vehicle Scrappage Policy: Changes on the Horizon
The Indian government is considering changes to the Vehicle Scrappage Policy introduced three years ago.
These adjustments could offer relief to owners of vehicles older than 15 years.
The current policy mandates that private vehicles over 20 years and commercial vehicles over 15 years must be scrapped if they fail fitness tests at authorized centers.
The proposed changes aim to prioritize pollution levels over a vehicle’s age.
During the annual convention organized by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) on Tuesday (September 10), Anurag Jain, Secretary at the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), sought input from the auto industry.
The goal is to make pollution checks more reliable.
This shift responds to feedback from vehicle owners.
Many question the need to scrap well-maintained vehicles solely based on age.
To make this possible, stricter and more trustworthy pollution checks are essential.
Jain has requested industry assistance in developing a better pollution testing system.
Vehicle scrapping could potentially boost sales by up to 18%, according to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
He cited examples from Europe and the US, where similar policies increased carmaker sales by up to 15%.
