Niti Aayog wants higher taxes on petrol, more parking fee -Governance Now

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.

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