Modi govt's decision to leapfrog to Euro VI historic:Javadekar

Mumbai, Jan 7: The Narendra Modi-led government has taken a historic decision to leapfrog into Euro VI emission norms by 2020, four years prior to what the earlier Congress-led government planned to do, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.

In a bid to curb vehicular pollution, the government yesterday decided to implement stricter emission norms of Bharat Stage (BS) VI from April 1, 2020 by skipping BS-V altogether.

"We are bypassing Euro V norms and will adopt Euro VI norms by 2020. The Modi government has taken a historic decision to leapfrog into Euro VI norms by 2020," Javadekar told reporters at the BJP office here. People have welcomed this decision, which will help reduce particulate matter pollution by 90 per cent, the Environment Minister said.

The industry, which already produces Euro VI compliant vehicles for export, will be mandated to produce such vehicles for the domestic market as well in four years, he said. "We are also giving incentives to electric vehicles," he said, adding that the Heavy Industries department is giving 30 per cent subsidy on electric vehicles. "We are also finalising the construction and demolition waste rules," Javadekar said.

At present, BS IV norms are followed in parts of India and by April 1, 2017, the whole of the country is scheduled to be covered under it. The decision to leapfrog to BS-VI was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, which was attended by Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Heavy Industries Minister Anant Geete and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

A government-commissioned panel had earlier suggested implementing BS VI norms from 2024, but in the larger interest it has been decided to advance the dates, Gadkari told mediapersons yesterday.

PTI