The Indian government has approved a ₹9,585-crore scheme to replace old trucks and buses with cleaner alternatives in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) in a bid to curb air pollution.
Under the scheme, owners of old vehicles will receive a 5% interest subvention on loans for five years and monthly fuel vouchers of up to ₹4,800. Automobile manufacturers will also offer an 8% discount on the ex-showroom price of new vehicles purchased under the scheme.
To avail of the benefits, owners will have to scrap their old vehicles at authorised scrapping facilities. The scheme aims to replace over 200,000 polluting vehicles, with the government citing a study that found commercial vehicles were the worst emitters of pollutants in the region.
The plan is part of efforts to improve Delhi's air quality, which remains poor throughout the year due to emissions from vehicles, industry, construction activity, road dust, and waste burning. The city has been ranked the world's most polluted capital for the eighth consecutive year, according to IQAir's 2025 World Air Quality Report.
