en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Union Cabinet is likely to approve an incentive scheme called "Naya Safar" to phase out BS-IV trucks and buses in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) over the next five years, replacing them with BS-VI and electric vehicles, according to sources familiar with the matter. The proposal, led by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, may be considered on Wednesday to roll out the scheme before October-November, when local air pollution typically worsens.

Insiders revealed that the scheme will include two types of incentives: interest subsidies and diesel vouchers. Interest subsidies will be provided to existing owners who take bank loans to purchase new vehicles, while diesel vouchers will be used to replace old diesel trucks and buses with less polluting or zero-emission vehicles. NCR member states may also offer additional incentives to accelerate the transition and reduce air pollution. The scheme covers all types of trucks registered in NCR, as well as government and privately owned buses.

Officials noted that BS-IV trucks and buses were introduced in 2017, and there are almost no older BS-II or BS-III diesel trucks and buses in the region. According to government data, approximately 200,000 old trucks and 20,000 diesel buses in the region will be covered under the scheme. In December last year, the Commission for Air Quality Management issued a directive stating that all commercial goods vehicles registered outside Delhi and not meeting BS-VI standards will be banned from entering the national capital from November 1, 2026. Older commercial diesel vehicles, which are more polluting, have become a key target for regulation.

Officials said that once the new scheme is fully implemented, it may facilitate stricter enforcement. "The government is controlling air pollution from multiple fronts, including fleet modernization, reducing roadside dust, and banning open burning. It is now working to engage all stakeholders to improve air quality," an official said.

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