New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS): A total of 5,359 private and 67 commercial vehicles have been scrapped at Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) set up in accordance with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notification under Vehicle Scrapping Policy, between January 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023.

According to a written reply by the Ministry in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, all RVSFs set up in accordance with MoRTH notification GSR 653 (E) dated September 23, 2021 are private entities.

There was no intervention by the government in the determination of fair price of vehicles to be scrapped.

The price of these vehicles is decided by the market forces as per the condition of the vehicle to be scrapped.

The Ministry of Steel has specified the mechanism to determine the reserve price of government-owned vehicles older than 15 years which are required to be scrapped in accordance with MoRTH notification GSR 29 (E) dated January 16, 2023.

In order to incentivise the scrapping of old unfit and polluting (End of Life vehicles) vehicles, MoRTH has issued GSR 720 (E) dated October 5, 2021 to provide concession in the Motor Vehicle Tax of up to 25 per cent in case of non-transport vehicles and up to 15 per cent in case of transport vehicles which are purchased against the 'Certificate of Deposit'.

Moreover, MoRTH has also issued a notification through October 4, 2021, to waive off the registration fee of new vehicles, which are purchased against the Certificate of Deposit.

MoRTH's notification provides that Certificate of Registration of government vehicles shall expire after the lapse of 15 years from the date of initial registration.

Disposal of such vehicles shall be ensured at RVSFs only.

This rule does not apply to the Special Purpose Vehicles (armoured and other specialised vehicles) used for operational purposes for defence of the country and for the maintenance of law and order and internal security, said the reply.