MANU/PIBU/0266/2021

Department/Board : Press Information Bureau

Date : 25.01.2021

Green tax to be imposed on older vehicles soon, to clean up the environment by phasing out unfit and polluting vehicles

Revenue collected through the tax will be used for tackling pollution

The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Sh. Nitin Gadkari has approved a proposal to levy a "Green Tax" on old vehicles which are polluting the environment. The proposal will now go to the states for consultation before it is formally notified. The main principles to be followed while levying the Green Tax are :

• Transport vehicles older than 8 years could be charged Green Tax at the time of renewal of fitness certificate, at the rate of 10 to 25 % of road tax;

• Personal vehicles to be charged Green Tax at the time of renewal of Registration Certification after 15 years;

• Public transport vehicles, such as city buses, to be charged lower Green tax;

• Higher Green tax (50% of Road Tax) for vehicles being registered in highly polluted cities

• Differential tax, depending on fuel (petrol/diesel) and type of vehicle;

• Vehicles like strong hybrids, electric vehicles and alternate fuels like CNG, ethanol, LPG etc to be exempted;

• Vehicles used in farming, such as tractor, harvest or, tiller etc to be exempted;

• Revenue collected from the Green Tax to be kept in a separate account and used for tackling pollution, and for States to set up state of-art facilities for emission monitoring

The benefits of the "Green Tax" could be :

• To dissuade people from using vehicles which damage the environment

• To motivate people to switch to newer, less polluting vehicles