Already saddled with a heavy subsidy burden which is compounded by overdependence on imported crude oil, and the fact that heavy duty vehicles like trucks and buses consume around 37 per cent of diesel, a concerned Government plans to frame fuel efficiency norms for this category of vehicles. The move is expected to help reduce usage of diesel as well as vehicular pollution.
In fact the seriousness of the Government can be gauged by the fact that it is also mulling a fresh legislation for enforcement of these norms and their promotion. As a secondary option, there is a possibility that the existing laws could be amended in order to ensure greater fuel efficiency in commercial vehicles. Also phasing out of old and inefficient commercial vehicles is also a proposal which is seriously being thought of, sources privy to the development, said.
According to official sources, the Petroleum Ministry has set up an eight-member committee led by Additional Secretary Rajive Kumar for achieving these objectives. The panel in 15 months time, has been asked to develop a road map for fuel efficiency norms for heavy duty vehicles (HDVs like trucks and buses). Significantly, the panel has been directed to examine ways to incentivise phasing out of old and inefficient commercial vehicles and also suggest the way ahead for their replacement.
In addition to this, the panel will also examine global norms as well as their effectiveness and suggest their possible replication - if suitable - in Indian conditions. These norms could also be placed within various categories, sources informed.
Considering the fact that India depends too much on imported crude oil, sources pointed out that it would be prudent to ensure its optimum usage. A majority of commercial vehicles in India are old and over-used, which leads to them consuming a lot of diesel. As per official figures, 26.75 per cent of diesel is consumed by commercial vehicles and 10.75 per cent by buses. Such a scenario has forced the Government to seriously think about measures to not only cut down number of such vehicles but also ensure norms which will help check vehicular pollution.
In fact, this move by the Government comes at a time when it is already trying to align the country’s fuel emission specification norms (Bharat Stage norms) with international standards.
The committee has representation from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, as well as officials from the Department of Heavy Industry, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
It has also been asked by the ministry to define the methodology for measurement of fuel efficiency and labelling mechanism. Also the panel will finalise the schedule of implementation of fuel consumption standards.
Currently very few countries follow any fuel efficiency norms for trucks and buses. Japan has notified such norms for commercial vehicles while China is in the process of implementing them.
The PCRA and BEE will jointly formulate time bound action plan to develop fuel economy norms for heavy duty vehicles and in order to achieve this, the assistance of various expert bodies will also be sought for developing these standards within timelines.