

Mint explainer: Will incentives for scrapping diesel trucks work for India’s green mobility drive?
Buyers can avail a discount of ₹2-9 lakh on the purchase of a medium or heavy electric truck under the PM E-Drive scheme by providing scrapping certificates for multiple diesel trucks, the ministry of heavy industries has clarified.The scheme mandates that scrapping certificates, also known as certificates of deposit (CDs), must be provided before claiming incentives. Mint explains this quid pro quo to reduce India’s reliance on carbon-heavy road freight, which makes up a third of the country’s total transport sector greenhouse gas emissions.
What is the clarification for vehicle scrapping under the PM E-Drive scheme?
On 27 February, a statement from the ministry of heavy industries clarified that incentives for new trucks can be granted against one or more valid scrapping certificates for diesel trucks, provided the gross vehicle weight (GVW) of the diesel trucks is higher.The ministry also explained with examples.
It said the subsidy for a 55-tonne e-truck could be claimed using CDs for two diesel trucks with GVW 28 tonnes each, or three diesel trucks with GVW 18.5 tonnes each, or even a diesel truck of GVW 28 tonnes, another of GVW 15 tonne and a third truck of GVW 12 tonnes each.
Therefore, CDs for multiple trucks can be submitted to claim incentives under this scheme.What is the vehicle scrapping requirement under the PM E-Drive scheme?
The ₹10,900-crore scheme is the government’s first-ever attempt to incentivise the rollout of electric trucks. The government allocated ₹500 crore towards subsidies for 5,500 e-trucks under the scheme.
But it comes with a rider.
Buyers of e-trucks have to provide a CD to claim a subsidy on their purchase. This means they have to scrap an existing diesel truck in a government-run scrapping