Govt hires consultant to formulate new auto policy, to focus on clean tech

The government has roped in a consultant to help in formulating an automobile policy, which will consider all technological options, including electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells for eco-friendly mobility, says Union minister Anant Geete.

The Department of Heavy Industry is taking the initiative towards formulation of the auto policy, but it is at an early stage and discussion with the industry is yet to start, the minister told PTI.

"The department has appointed a consultant to study the issue. It (auto policy formulation) is at a primary stage right now," said Geete, who is the minister for Heavy Industries and Public Sector Enterprises.

The development comes at a critical time for the automobile industry, which is set to move to stricter emission norms of BS-VI from April 2020 while at the same time start preparing for the journey towards electric vehicles by 2030.

"The consultant has been tasked with evaluating all options, including clean technologies like electric (vehicles) and hydrogen (fuel cells)," he said.

Asked how the policy would be like, he said, "There is no decision yet on the auto policy... The consultant has not even discussed it with the auto industry now."

The department is now taking an initiative towards formulation of the auto policy, he added.

"Once the report is submitted by the consultant, the Department of Heavy Industry will discuss it with stakeholders, including the auto industry. We have told the consultant to explore how the auto policy can be formulated and suggest ways towards the same," he said without sharing the details of the consultant.

In September 2015, the government and auto industry body SIAM had unveiled the Automotive Mission Plan (AMP) 2016-26 setting an ambitious target of increasing the value of output of the sector to up to Rs 18.89 lakh crore, from around Rs 4.64 lakh crore and make it among top three globally in the next decade.