The Indian Government has revealed intentions to soon introduce fuel efficiency ratings for automobiles, so as to encourage the sales of vehicles that are more efficient and consume less fuel. The revelation came through Veerappa Moily, the present Oil Minister, on January 16, 2013 in the National Capital Region.
The Oil Minister was in New Delhi for the inauguration ceremony of 2013 Petroleum Conservation Fortnight, to be held on Wednesday, January 16, 2013. Informing about the issue, Moily was quoted as saying, “The Petroleum Conservation Research Association should draw a proposal for rating automobiles according to their fuel efficiency.” The petroleum secretary heads PCRA, which is a part of the oil ministry for environment protection along with eco-friendly and efficient energy utilisation of energy resources.
The Oil Ministry is expected to start working soon on the proposed plan of fuel efficiency ratings for vehicles marketed in the Indian passenger car market. As per reports, Moily has also petitioned PCRA to begin energy audit for conservation and efficient utilisation of natural resources, such as oil and gas in India. Expressing his opinion about the proposed plans, Moily said, “We should submit energy audit report on various sectors to the people every year. There should be proper energy budgeting by everyone utilizing energy.”
Further, the Oil Ministry has also sought the help of Finance department, in order to levy additional cess on diesel run vehicles. Apparently, the diesel powered vehicles are witnessing better sales as compared to their petrol counterparts in the country. A top government official has confirmed the Oil Ministry's intentions and was quoted as saying, “This is an old proposal of the oil ministry to dissuade consumption of highly subsidized diesel, but auto lobby is against any such move.”
