Union Minister Nitin Gadkari feels India should promote green vehicles and curb pollution

The government has decided to waive registration charges for electric vehicles, a draft notification said Wednesday.

The move, aimed at promoting electric vehicles (EVs) in India, comes at a time when the country plans high penetration of such vehicles by 2030.

Issuing the draft notification to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989, the road transport and highways ministry said battery-operated vehicles "shall be exempted from the payment of fees for the purpose of issue or renewal of registration certificate and assignment of new registration mark".

The exemption will apply to all category of vehicles, including two-wheelers.

The ministry has issued the draft notification for amendments in CMVR where the amendments in Rule 81 are proposed for such waiver.

The amendments will be done in exercise of the powers conferred on the central government under various sections of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Comments from stakeholders have been sought in a month.

"The said draft rules shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of a period of 30 days from the date on which the copies of this notification as published in the Gazette of India, are made available to the public," the draft notification said.

The objections or suggestions that may be received from any person with respect to the said draft rules before the expiry of the aforesaid period will be considered by the central government, it said.

Last year, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said a blueprint has been drawn to boost production of electric vehicles in the country and take their share to 15 per cent of total automobiles in the next five years.

It is time India should think to promote green vehicles and curb pollution, Mr Gadkari said.

Earlier to promote electric vehicles in India, the government had approved green licence plates bearing numbers in white fonts for private e-vehicles and yellow for taxis.