MP Govt offers 50% tax rebate on vehicle scrapping

In a bid to promote environmental sustainability and modernise urban governance, the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, on Tuesday approved a 50% rebate in RTO tax for individuals scrapping old BS-1 and BS-2 category vehicles. Alongside this, the Cabinet also granted industry status to institutions engaged in vehicle scrapping and cleared an ordinance enabling citizens to directly elect municipal body chairpersons.Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya stated the rebate decision aligns with the Centre’s proposal to subsidise vehicle scrapping. With BS-5 vehicles entering the market, the gradual phasing out of BS-1, BS-2, and other older emission categories has become necessary.The move is expected to encourage citizens to discard polluting vehicles while boosting the vehicle scrapping industry through new incentives.
According to information,the Cabinet has also approved a significant change in urban local governance, allowing citizens to directly elect municipal chairpersons. Vijayvargiya said this system will be implemented within the next two years, giving prospective candidates ample time to prepare. The reform is aimed at strengthening local democracy and enhancing accountability.
Ahead of the Cabinet meeting, CM Yadav announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the PM Mitra Park in Badnawar, Dhar district, on September 17. The state will also host themed programmes under banners such as:
•Healthy Women – Empowered Families
•Swadeshi (Self-Reliance)
•One Tree in Mother’s Name and One Garden in Mother’s Name
•Janman Yojana
•Dharti Aaba Tribal Village Development Campaign
•Mission Karmayogi
Additionally,BS-1 emission norms allowed vehicles a maximum of 2.72 grams of carbon monoxide per kilometre, 0.14 grams of suspended particles, and 0.97 grams of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, requiring automakers to adopt secondary air injection systems, exhaust gas recirculation, and tri-metal catalysts. BS-2 tightened the norms further by capping sulphur content in fuel at 500 ppm and reducing permissible limits to 2.2 g/km for carbon monoxide, 0.08 g/km for suspended particles, and 0.05 g/km for nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons.
The Cabinet also announced a statewide Swachhata Hi Seva drive from September 17 to October 2. The campaign will focus on rehabilitating unclean zones in both urban and rural areas, while mobilising citizens for collective cleanliness efforts.
Planned activities include:
•Safety camps for sanitation workers.
•Plantation drives under “One Tree in Mother’s Name.”
•Establishment of NaMo Parks, Gardens, and Green Spaces.
•A NaMo Marathon on September 27.
•Health camps, blood donation drives, and student competitions.
Meanwhiile,the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry has also scheduled a nationwide Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan and Adi Seva Parv during the same period, encouraging tribal communities to actively participate in village-level development.

(Asstt.Editor)