A policy to promote electric two-wheelers in the Capital is among the proposals the Delhi government is considering to include in its first-ever Green Budget, according to officials present during a meeting to discuss the suggestions on Thursday.
At a meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Manish Sisodia, the Environment and Forest, Power and Transport Departments presented their proposals to be included in the Green Budget for 2018-2019.
Preliminary list
A preliminary list of proposals compiled after the meeting included a State-wide electric vehicle policy, with a special focus on the most polluting categories of vehicles. The suggestion by the Transport Department cited the approximately 20 lakh two-wheelers that are compliant with the old and less stringent Bharat Stage-II pollution norms as one of the categories to be targeted. A source involved in the planning said apart from two-wheelers, taxis will be another area of focus for the electric vehicle policy.
After trucks, two-wheelers account for the second highest contribution to vehicular pollution. In all, vehicles account for 29% of PM10 and 35% for PM2.5%, according to a report by the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur published in January 2016.
Apart from the policy, the Transport Department suggested engagement of electric buses, promotion of last-mile connectivity using electric vehicles and strengthening the Pollution Under Control (PUC) system for emissions control. The Delhi government has already announced that it is in in the process of buying 500 electric buses.
The Environment and Forest Department suggested a real-time source apportionment study in collaboration with the University of Washington, an incentive scheme for industries to switch to piped natural gas, a scheme to incentivise clean fuel generators based on CNG, fast-tracking the adoption of clean tandoors and institutionalising third-party audits for industries. In addition, the department proposed a special scheme to encourage tree plantation in the city.
The Power Department proposed a special policy to promote solar energy in the Public Works Department, schools and hospitals, and promotion of energy conservation and retrofitment in government buildings.
The departments were asked to finalise their proposals and submit them to the Finance and Planning department by February 22, after which the Green Budget will be finalised. The Delhi government’s Budget for 2018-2019 is expected in the first half of March. The Green Budget, sources say, will also be completed by then.
