Delhi govt to provide subsidies to promote e-vehicles, says CM Gupta
Rekha Gupta
said on Saturday.
Delivering a valedictory address at Aironomics, 2025 convention, she highlighted Delhi government's different initiatives to combat air pollution.
Transformation of all the vehicles, including private ones, into electric vehicles (EVs) is a big vision for which Delhi government is coming up with a new EV policy, she said.
"We will urge people to purchase electric vehicles for which they will be provided subsidies," she said.
Gupta also said that air pollution is a year long problem that required sustained efforts for which her government is hiring 1000 water sprinklers to be used to combat dust on the roads through out the year.
"In view of traffic, these sprinklers will operate in early morning and late night hours so that no congestion is there on the roads," she said.
Further, the government is also deploying integrated machines across 70 Assembly constituencies in Delhi that will perform the task of mechanical sweeping of the roads, water sprinkling and litter collection, she said.
She urged the gathering to join the mission to ensure a clean green Delhi by contributing to government's initiatives to check biomass burning , expanding green cover cover and EV adoption.
Former New and Renewable Energy Secretary Bhupinder Bhalla speaking on air quality in the capital said that the Central government and Delhi government need to align their efforts to check pollution in the city.
According to a statement, several panelists discussed, 'Turning the Tide: Delhi's moment to lead on clean air' session held under the broader Aironomics 2025 convention, hosted by the Bharat Climate Forum (BCF), Dalberg Advisors and the Council for International Economic Understanding (CIEU).
"Earlier one would say not much is happening, but now there's momentum. Now there are two common governments with a common agenda in Delhi. Now even the local bodies are also on the same page. Therefore, anything that is decided will be implemented by everyone and at a much faster pace," Bhalla told PTI.
Also speaking at the session, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) Chairman Sanjiv Kumar spoke about the need for cost-efficient, real-time pollution monitoring systems.
"We want to improve efficiency so that we can do more coverage and find better solutions. If we can identify whether a plant in a particular location is causing a surge, we'll be able to intervene more effectively," he said.
The summit also launched Phase 2 of the Air Quality Action Forum (AQAF), jointly announced by Paytm Foundation and UNEP. The platform will support cities and innovators with tools, data, and financing models to scale local clean air solutions, added the statement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Ahead Of Janmashtami, Muslim Artisans Craft Krishna Idols In UP
Aligarh: Aligarh, a city renowned for its locks and educational institutions, is gaining recognition for a new craft-idol-making. As the festival of Krishna Janmashtami approaches, local artisans have been busy preparing idols of various Hindu deities. What stands out this year, much like earlier, is the remarkable participation of Muslim artisans, who are skillfully crafting brass idols of Laddu Gopal, symbolising unity and communal harmony. Idol trader Kapil Gupta shared insights into the thriving business ahead of the festival. "Krishna Janmashtami is celebrated with great joy across the country. Laddu Gopal is the most worshipped deity during this festival. We have received numerous orders not only from within India but also from abroad. Our idols are handmade and decorated meticulously," he told IANS. Gupta added that the idol business in Aligarh has a legacy of over 100 years, and the demand for Laddu Gopal idols keeps growing every year. He also emphasised the diverse community involvement in this craft. "Muslim artisans and even Sikh craftsmen are actively engaged in this trade. Since these idols are entirely handmade, it requires skilled hands and dedication. Muslim brothers contribute immensely to Hindu festivals by creating these beautiful idols. People from all communities work together harmoniously," Gupta noted. One such artisan, Aqeel Khan, who specialises in welding brass idols, spoke about his experience. "With Janmashtami approaching, I am preparing Laddu Gopal idols. This is our livelihood. Hindus and Muslims live together peacefully here, and we take pride in this work. It's a craft I've been practicing for 25 years, and my family, including my children, continues this tradition. We feel great joy making these idols during the festival," he said. Krishna Janmashtami, a major Hindu festival, marks the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. Also known as Krishna Janmotsava, it holds profound religious and spiritual significance. Celebrated nationwide with grandeur, the festival falls on the Ashtami Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. This year, Janmashtami will be observed on August 16, 2025.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
M&M expands capacity at South African plant as US tariffs hit automobiles
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. is boosting capacity at its South African plant by two-thirds as India's largest automaker by value seeks to capitalize on demand for budget vehicles in the continent's biggest economy. The company, which makes the Mahindra Pik-Up brand at its assembly plant near the port city of Durban, will boost capacity to 1,500 vehicles a month from 900, said Rajesh Gupta, chief executive officer of the local unit. It's also considering assembling other models, including the Bolero and the Veero pick-up, he said. Sluggish growth in the continent's most-industrialized nation has led South Africans to demand more economical cars. Sales of Mahindra, Suzuki Motor Corp. and China's Chery Automobile Co. vehicles have jumped, while those of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and BMW AG have plunged or stagnated. The average selling price of cars has dropped 2.3 per cent in the past two years to 490,478 rand ($27,600), according to Toyota Motor Corp., South Africa's most popular auto brand. Annual inflation averaged about 4.5 per cent over the same period. That's compounding difficulties that Mercedes is facing in South Africa, where it produces vehicles that are shipped to the US. US President Donald Trump's 30 per cent tariff on the nation's exports to America will hit Mercedes hard. The German company, which last year produced 70,000 cars at its plant in East London — about 650 kilometers (404 miles) south of Durban — cut a shift and announced it would fire 700 workers last year, even before Trump's levies decimated US demand. While global supply chains take years to create, 'it takes one stroke of a pen to kill everything,' Gupta said in an interview. Still, tariffs may come as a 'blessing in disguise' for trade between South Africa and India, he said. Trump levied a 25 per cent tariff on exports from India to the US, which can increase to 50 per cent. Mahindra's vehicles are among the top four pick-ups in South Africa, with compound annual growth of 22 per cent since 2019, while the broader market shrank 3.1 per cent., Gupta said. 'This will become a case study, I'm pretty confident, how one can start nimble, stay authentic and responsible, create sustainability and keep growing step-by-step,' Gupta said. 'No matter what happens in the world environment.' The pick-ups assembled at Mahindra's Durban plant, which opened in 2018 and is the company's biggest outside India, have become popular with local farmers. They're also used by the police in neighboring Mozambique. Mahindra's expansion is a rare bit of good news for President Cyril Ramaphosa as his government struggles to reduce the fallout from Trump's tariffs. Agricultural exports are also exposed to the levies. The rise in the mid-market segment has even lured Tata Motors Ltd. India's largest automaker by sales has tied up with Motus Holdings Ltd. to distribute its vehicles in the African nation, according to the South African car retailer. More than a third of the vehicles sold in South Africa are exported from India or China, according to Toyota. The government wants to change that. 'With regards to Chinese and Indian auto, it is a discussion,' Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said on Tuesday. The government is 'taking a more of a proactive approach of getting some of those products manufactured in the country.' Mahindra — the owner of Automobili Pininfarina, the handcrafter of €2.2 million ($2.4 million) electric hypercars — also plans to bring EVs to South Africa, according to Gupta. 'We are extremely sure of bringing them sooner than later,' he said, without providing a timeline. The company will offer both the BE 6 & XEV 9e EV lines to South Africa, he said. The Mumbai-based company is considering upgrading its plant to assemble vehicles using completely-knocked down parts from a semi-knocked assembly plant, Gupta said. The expansion has created about 100 direct jobs.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Govt introduces insolvency law amendment bill in LS; FM says changes aim to reduce delays
New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) The government on Tuesday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the insolvency law, proposing a raft of amendments, including an out-of-court mechanism to address genuine business failures, group and cross-border insolvency frameworks. Besides, provisions have been proposed to reduce the time taken for admission of insolvency resolution applications, to expand the definition of resolution plan and decriminalisation of certain actions. Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was later referred to a select committee of the House, following the request of the minister. In the Statement of Objects and Reasons for the bill, the minister said the proposed changes aim to reduce delays, maximise value for all stakeholders, and improve governance of all processes under the Code. A senior government official said the amendments aim to facilitate faster admission, resolution, and liquidation processes, maximise asset value and improve governance. The much-awaited bill has proposed a "creditor-initiated insolvency resolution process", with an out-of-court initiation mechanism for genuine business failures to facilitate faster and more cost-effective insolvency resolution with minimal business disruption. "Once implemented, this will help ease the burden on judicial systems, promote ease of doing business and improve access to credit," Sitharaman said. The official said that under CIRP, select financial institutions can initiate insolvency outside court with approval from unrelated financial institutions, while the corporate debtor can continue to manage the company with oversight from a resolution professional, who would attend meetings of the Board of Directors and have veto powers. "The process includes a 30-day objection period for the corporate debtors, and the adjudicating authority can convert the CIRP into the standard CIRP if certain conditions are met, such as failure to reach a resolution within 150 days or rejection of the plan. The adjudicating authority will approve resolution plans with the same effect as under the existing CIRP framework," the official added. CIRP refers to the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process. Besides, the government has proposed the group insolvency framework that seeks to efficiently resolve insolvencies, involving complex corporate group structures, minimising value destruction caused by fragmented proceedings and maximising value for creditors through coordinated decision-making. According to the bill, the cross-border insolvency framework seeks to lay the foundation for protecting stakeholder interests in domestic and foreign proceedings, promoting investor confidence and aligning domestic practices with international best practices. This will also pave the way for improved recognition of Indian insolvency proceedings in other jurisdictions. Against the backdrop of an average delay of over 434 days in admitting insolvency resolution applications, the government has proposed that an application by the financial creditors should be admitted if a default exists without considering any other grounds. Such a step will help reduce timelines for admitting applications related to financial debt. The government official noted that when an application is made by a financial creditor, who is a financial institution, the adjudicating authority should consider records of default from information utilities as sufficient evidence to ascertain the existence of such default. The Code mandates that insolvency resolution applications be admitted within 14 days. Another proposal is to expand the definition of resolution plans to include the sale of assets, and the right of the corporate applicant to propose the resolution professional is restricted to ensure fairer and more transparent appointments. "The proposed amendments restrict withdrawal of CIRP applications before the constitution of the committee of creditors and after the first invitation of the resolution plans, and also enable continuation of avoidance transaction proceedings post-CIRP," the official said. There are also provisions to have a timeline for approval of resolution plans after their receipt by the adjudicating authority, providing an opportunity to the committee of creditors to rectify procedural defects, among other elements. "Enhancement of recoveries from avoidance transactions, wrongful and fraudulent trading by extending the look back period and allowing creditors to also file for these transactions is included to maximise asset value," the official said. Also, the bill has proposed changes to enhance efficiency and oversight in the liquidation process by empowering the committee of creditors to supervise liquidation, including a provision for replacing the liquidator by a 66 per cent vote and extending the moratorium available under the CIRP to the liquidation process to speed up company dissolution. "They allow the adjudicating authority to restore the CIRP once, on the request of the committee of creditors, enabling potential rescue of viable companies. The committee of creditors can also recommend direct dissolution if assets are negligible, and can retain or appoint the Resolution Professional as liquidator. The amendments remove common activities between CIRP and liquidation, to reduce delays in liquidation," the official noted. According to the official, the proposed reforms aim to strengthen the insolvency ecosystem by addressing personal guarantor misuse, enhancing institutional capacity and improving regulatory governance. Other key changes include removing the interim moratorium for personal guarantors and introducing a provision to prevent transactions defrauding creditors, and an enabling provision for facilitating different processes for all stakeholders through an electronic portal is provided to enhance efficiency and transparency.
