Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Becomes the Most Trolled Minister of India
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is taking a radical step to solve the problem of air pollution in India by proposing a new special purpose charge called Clear Air Cess, which would financially enable clean air projects in big cities. It is regarded as one of the most ambitious steps of the government to improve the urban air quality and is expected to be announced during the next policy briefing.
Under the Clear Air Cess, according to the sources within the Finance Ministry, it will be charged upon the industries which contribute greatly to air pollution such as the oil products, coal-based industries, and some types of cars. This cess collection will solely be used to fund initiatives such as cleaner transportation, air purification facilities, and renewable energy venture in area with high pollution such as Delhi-NCR, Lucknow, Kanpur, and Mumbai.
Officials have pointed out that the cease might be 1 to 2 per litre on petrol and diesel but definitive numbers are still being discussed. Some of the money will as well be channeled to the enhancement of the monitoring systems of the air quality indices and funds local-level action plans in the cities that regularly report high levels of hazardous AQI.
This move is timely as India is receiving one of the worst post monsoons pollution seasons in recent times. The quality of the air in Delhi and some of the cities of North India has plunged into severe category, which has created the need to do something about it urgently. As winter is coming near, smog is going to increase even more, with stubble burning, vehicle emissions, and industrial wastes, and the Clear Air Cess is not only opportune but also necessary.
In reference to the proposal, one of the senior officials in the Ministry of Finance stated, “The Clear Air Cess idea is not only revenue gathering, but behavioral change. Industries and citizens will have to understand that clean air does not come freely and that it is upon each citizen to help in restoring air quality. This shows a turn of policy where the pollution control is not being considered as an isolated environmental concern but as a component of a fiscal planning.
The move has been embraced by experts who note that India requires special and ring-fenced funds on clean air activities. Economists who are concerned about the environment think that such a measure will provide a stable financial basis in the long-term solutions, including electric vehicle infrastructure, cleaner fuels and green manufacturing incentives. But other critics opine that as much as the cess will raise funds, it will raise consumer costs in the short term particularly as inflation is still an issue.
When done well, the Clear Air Cess has the potential to transform the nature of the fight against pollution in India. Policies over the years have been reactive in nature since they just responded to emergencies in times of serious pollution spells. This cess is a proactive step and it is an indicator that the government has realized that dirty air has an economic cost.
The effectiveness of the initiative will also be determined by the level of transparency of the funds and whether they will be strictly redirected to the sphere of environmental improvement. The policy has already raised controversy both in industries and households even before Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to announce the formalities.
Clean air is no longer an item of health demand, but it increasingly turns into an item of financial priority. And this new cess may finally represent a clean and more sustainable future of India.
