The Delhi’s budget for 2016-2017 which has provided for a major push for public transport and given an impetus to electric and hybrid vehicles has been welcomed by the SIAM. It was presented on March 29 ahead of the new financial year set to begin on April 1.
In the budget, Delhi finance minister, Manish Sisodia, said that the AAP government will exempt road tax on registration of electric vehicles to promote the usage of electric and hybrid vehicles. On the same lines, VAT rate on battery operated transport means has been proposed to be reduced from 12.5 per cent to 5 per cent.
The SIAM hopes that other state governments would also take note of this initiative and support the development of EV/HEV in the country. This move would also go a long way in addressing the pollution issues being faced by the NCR over the last few months.
In terms of boosting public transport, the government has said that it will procure 1,000 low floor non AC buses and also introduce another 1,000 in the premium category through a purely market driven model to encourage people across strata to use public transport. About 248 new mini buses are to be inducted increasing the total fleet of metro feeder buses to 517 on 93 routes during 2016-17.
