The Delhi government has announced a 26 point program under its ‘Green Budget.’
Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, began the green budget with an emphasis on carrying out a real-time air pollution study and developing the first city-wide inventory of greenhouse gases emissions. Also, highlighting the importance of plantation, and so it has planned to develop a new city forest at several locations – Jaunapur, Ayanagar, Dera Mandi, Bela Farm, and others.
Solar
The government has announced that it will encourage the uptake of solar energy, and will install solar plants on government buildings in Delhi.
Cycle tracks will be covered by solar modules, totaling 16 km.
Electric Vehicles Policy
Sisodia mentioned that public commuter vehicles like taxis run for several hours in a day, and their impact must be addressed. He mentioned that the Delhi government will frame a comprehensive electric vehicle policy. For a transition, he announced that people who CNG-fitted cars will get 50% discount on registration charges.
The Delhi government has declared it will roll-out 1,000 EV buses, together with 905 electric feeder buses for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to boost last-mile connectivity.
In 2016-17, Delhi government had announced an INR 30,000 subsidize e-rickshaw owners; the scheme will be continued and will be released to owners who registered between July 1, 2015, and April 1, 2016.
Curb Pollution
The government has announced incentives of up to INR 100,000 to industries to switch over to piped natural gas (PNG), as well as a subsidy to restaurant owners to replace coal-based stoves with electric or gas. Also, the subsidy to replace diesel generators.
Sisodia mentioned that if the 26 program of the green budget is successfully applied, the estimated reduction in CO2 emissions will be approximately 2.1 million metric ton (MT). Similarly, the reduction in other harmful compounds will be like: PM2.5 – 503 MT; Nitrogen Oxides – 4,540 MT; Sulphur Oxides – 9,364 MT; and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) – 11,515 MT.
The Delhi government has worked with the World Resource Institute to study the impact of its 26 points for the environment.
