Delhi, Haryana approve road tax waiver for clean-fuel trucks, buses; rollout in 15 days

The Centre is set to roll out a key incentive under its commercial vehicle scrappage programme, with Delhi and Haryana approving a 100 per cent road tax waiver for buyers of new trucks and buses running on cleaner fuels, while Rajasthan is expected to clear the proposal within days, senior government sources told Business Today TV.

Uttar Pradesh is also expected to join the initiative, although its approval is likely to take longer, the sources said. The ministry is targeting implementation of the measures within the next 15 days.

The road tax exemption is part of the Centre’s recently approved ‘Parivartan’ initiative, which aims to accelerate the replacement of older pre-BS VI heavy commercial vehicles with cleaner alternatives through financial incentives.

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The scheme is expected to significantly reduce the upfront cost of purchasing new commercial vehicles. In addition to the tax waiver, vehicle manufacturers have agreed to offer discounts of around 8% on the ex-showroom price of eligible trucks and buses.

To ensure wider adoption, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is coordinating with district administrations across the National Capital Region. District collectors and lead bank coordinators have been tasked with reaching out to fleet operators and commercial vehicle owners to encourage participation in the programme.

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Speaking at an event on cleaner freight mobility in New Delhi on Monday, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Mahmood Ahmed had indicated that the four NCR states were expected to notify the tax waiver soon. He also stressed that the government’s clean mobility strategy would not be limited to electric vehicles alone.

“The customer should have the ultimate say. The way to go is not punitive measures,” Ahmed said, adding that the government is pursuing a “bouquet of solutions” to reduce emissions from the commercial vehicle fleet.