Niti Aayog wants higher taxes on petrol, more parking fee

It proposes to control air pollution by tackling crop residue burning, providing LPG connections to the poor and have efficient coal power plants

GN Bureau | May 3, 2017


#LPG connections   #higher petrol tax   #air pollution   #action plan   #Niti Aayog   #coal power plants  

 Are you ready to pay higher taxes on petrol to help curb air pollution? In its three-year action, Niti Aayog proposes it and says that it will “encourage commuters to share cars and take public transport”. 

It also talks about raising parking fees and making public transportation faster and comfortable to discourage the use of private vehicles. It highlights conversion of petrol and diesel vehicles to CNG and refers to electric battery vehicles that bring down emissions.
 
Here is how air pollution can be controlled, according to Niti Aayog:
 
Crop residue burning:
The Niti Aayog proposes to introduce subsidy on a machine called 'Happy Seeder'. Developed by Punjab Agricultural University, the machine was introduced about five years ago. Farmers often burn the residue of the rice crop to prepare the field again for cropping. It causes immense pollution. This machine allows planting of wheat through the residue. "A large subsidy on machine for limited time complemented by extension and information campaign may eliminate the problem within next three years," it says.
 
Cooking fires: 
By 2019, the government aims to connect 50 million BPL households with LPG connections under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.
 
Coal power plants:
Installing flue gas de-sulphurizers on all coal power plants by 2020. It says that the older power plants should be shut down in a phased manner. 
 
Brick Kilns: 
Upgradation of fixed chimney bull's trench kilm to cleaner technologies like zig zag kiln. It also proposes training for firemen on best operating practices for higher efficiency through skill development programmes by 2018.
 

Comments

 

Other News

Study flags accessibility and last-mile challenges on Mumbai Metro Aqua Line

Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line), the city`s first fully underground metro corridor and one of its largest public transport investments, represents a major engineering achievement and has been widely welcomed by commuters. However, the overall commuter experience continues to be constrained by accessibili

Centre intensifies preparedness as El Niño threat looms

Amid uncertainty in the southwest monsoon due to the potential impact of El Niño, the government is addressing the situation with comprehensive preparedness, a clear strategy, and strong ground-level action. While challenges remain, the entire system has been activated in advance and is working proa

India is crossing a climate threshold

On June 28, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 41.3°C, four degrees above the seasonal normal. But the “feels like” temperature, which factors in humidity, showed more than 51°C. What the body experienced was very different from what the thermometer recorded.  India`

The Geography of India’s inflation

India today finds itself in an unusual position. At a time when geopolitical conflicts, trade fragmentation, and supply-chain disruptions are reshaping the global economy, the country`s macroeconomic fundamentals remain relatively upwards. Growth remains among the highest in the world, inflation has larg

How to listen to the great storytellers that the trees are

The Trees of My Country: A Natural History of India in 50 Trees By T. R. Shankar Raman, with illustrations by Manali Patil Aleph Book Company, 284 pages, Rs 1,499  

This tree in Bihar turns out to be the oldest accurately dated banyan

A banyan tree in Munger, Bihar, estimated to be around 700 years old, has been identified as the oldest accurately dated banyan tree, Ficus benghalensis, using radiocarbon dating, a method that relies exclusively on scientific evidence rather than historical records or local lore. Banyan





Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter