Delhi To Offer Rs 50 Lakh For Innovation To Cut Pollution From Heavy Vehicles

With the clock ticking on the upcoming ban on BS-IV diesel heavy vehicles in the capital, the Delhi government is planning on rolling out a competition to find retrofit solutions, offering a top prize of ₹50 lakh for workable technology that can upgrade older trucks to BS-VI standards.

The move follows a directive from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which bars BS-IV heavy vehicles from entering Delhi starting November 1. Officials say the goal is to support pollution control through innovation rather than just enforcement.

"Initially, the projects that qualify will be given ₹5 lakh, and those whose technology would qualify for use and after certification from the National Physical Laboratory, one can win ₹50 lakh," Industries and Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa told NDTV.

He said the government wants to offer a platform for innovators to bring cost-effective clean mobility solutions into the mainstream. "The government wants to encourage research and development and provide talented minds with a platform," Mr Sirsa said.

Currently, retrofitting cars into electric vehicles is a costly exercise, which deters many from switching to electric. If people come up with technological innovations in this sector that are cheaper, the government is planning to consider them as well."

In parallel, the government is also backing research on converting diesel cars into electric vehicles as part of its wider clean transport strategy.

Industrial Ideathon to Tap Campus Innovation
The Delhi government also announced Industrial Ideathon 2025, set to kick off next month to crowdsource student-led solutions for industrial growth.

The event, organised by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) in collaboration with Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), is open to student teams from across the city. Registrations are open from July 14 to August 4 via the official portal- https://www.industrialideathondelhi.com

"Industrial Ideathon 2025 is part of our mission to bring young innovators into the heart of industrial policymaking," Mr Sirsa said. "Delhi's youth has the talent and imagination we need to solve the real challenges faced by our industries."

The ideathon will be held in two phases. A preliminary round is scheduled for August 13–14 at NSUT, where shortlisted teams will take on a timed innovation challenge. Finalists will compete in the grand finale between August 18 and 20, pitching solutions to a panel of industry experts.

Ideas will be judged across four focus areas: logistics and supply chain, ease of doing business for startups, frontier technologies for industrial transformation, and strengthening the MSME sector.

Each team must include two to four members, with at least one female participant. More than 120 teams from over 30 institutions are expected to participate.

"We believe in policy by participation," Mr Sirsa added. "The collaboration between DSIIDC and NSUT is the first step in a longer journey to make Delhi the innovation capital of India."