Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday that a total of 11,025 vehicles (7,750 private and 3,275 government vehicles) have been scrapped till March 31 this year by the registered vehicle scrapping facilities.
In total, 24 states/UTs have reported 2,56,935 government-owned vehicles older than 15 years, Gadkari informed the Lok Sabha in his written answer.
The central government has provided incentives to state governments for the implementation of the Vehicle Scrapping Policy, he added.
"The scheme for special assistance to states for capital investment has been extended for the financial year 2023-24 by the government, and the incentive amount to the states has been increased to Rs 3,000 crore, to incentivise the scrapping of state government vehicles, that are older than 15 years, waiver of liabilities on old vehicles, providing tax concessions to individuals for the scrapping of old vehicles, and setting up automated vehicle testing facilities," he said.
The Vehicle Scrappage Policy took effect in April 2022. The objective of the programme is to phase out old passenger and commercial vehicles and thereby reduce air pollution in cities, increase passenger and road safety, and stimulate vehicle sales.
As per the Road Transport Ministry's recent notification, from April 1 last year, all vehicles owned by the central and state governments, including buses owned by transport corporations and public sector undertakings, that are older than 15 years will be de-registered and scrapped.