Question : AUTO FUEL POLICY

(a) whether the Government proposes to upgrade Auto Fuel Policy and has constituted an Expert Committee to draft Auto Fuel Vision and Policy, 2025 to bring countrys fuel quality at par with global norms;

(b) if so, the details of terms of reference of the Committee and the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether the Government has requested the automobile manufacturers association to upgrade vehicular engine technologies in conformity with the future uniform fuel norms in the country and if so, the details thereof along with the prevailing vehicular emission norms in various States/cities including Delhi and Mumbai; and

(d) the action taken by the Government to upgrade the fuel quality and the number of cities covered across the country?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a) and (b): Government had constituted an Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri Soumitra Choudhuri, Member, Planning Commission, to draft Auto Fuel Vision and Policy 2025 with the following Terms of Reference:-

(i) Recommend road map for auto fuel quality till 2025 for the country, taking into account the achievement under the last Auto Fuel Policy, emission reduction of in-use vehicles, growth of vehicles and supply and availability of fuels.

(ii) Recommend suitable mix of auto fuels including gas and its specifications, considering the following:
a) Availability of infrastructure and logistics of fuel supplies,
b) The processing economics of Auto fuels, and
c) Improvement in the quality of fuel visvis improvement in vehicle engine technology.

(iii) Recommend vehicular emission norms for various categories of vehicles and roadmap for their implementation.

(iv) Recommend use of alternate fuels to minimize impact on environment.

(v) Recommend fiscal measures for funding requisite upgradation of Oil Refineries, logistics and removal of Inter-fuel distortions.
The Committee has submitted its Report to the Government. The Committee has made various recommendations including a Roadmap for phased introduction of BS-IV and BS-V Auto Fuels in the entire country.

(c) Emission norms for various categories of motor vehicles are specified in rules 115, 115A, 115B, 115C and 115D of Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989(CMVRs). For four wheeled vehicles, Bharat Stage-IV(BS-IV) emission norms have been mandated in the National Capital Region and in the cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad (including Secundrabad), Bengaluru, Kanpur, Pune, Surat, Agra, Sholapur, Lucknow. Recently, Mass Emission Standards (BS-IV) have been made applicable in the cities of Puducherry, Mathura, Vapi, Jamnagar, Ankaleshwar, Hissar, Bharatpur, Daman Diu, Silvasa, Unnao, Rae Bareilly, Aligarh, Karnal, Valsad, Yamuna Nagar, Kurukshetra, Nizamabad, Medak and Mehboobnagar in respect of four wheeled vehicles manufactured on or after the 1st October, 2014 except the four wheeled transport vehicles plying on Inter-State Permits or National Permit or All India Tourist Permits, within the jurisdiction of the said cities. In other parts of the country, Bharat Stage-III emission norms are applicable.

(d) As per road map given in Auto Fuel Policy, 2003, the following action has been taken:-

(i) Bharat Stage-IV(BS-IV) Auto Fuels were introduced in 13 identified major cities including Delhi and National Capital Region in the country on w.e.f 01.04.2010;

(ii) BS-III has been implemented in the rest of country in a staggered manner between April 1, 2010 to September 22, 2010.
Going beyond the Auto Fuel Policy, 2003, expansion of BS-IV fuel to additional 50 cities was done by 15.3.2015.
Further, as per road map recommended in Auto Fuel Vision & Policy, 2025 Report, a decision for availability of BS-IV fuels in the entire country by 1st April, 2017 in a phased manner, was notified vide letter dated 19.01.2015. As per road map notified, supply of BS-IV fuel has been expanded to entire north India w.e.f. 1.4.2015.