No more new regulatory norms for automobile industry: Nitin Gadkari

Taking into account the tough time of the automobile sector, the government will not create more regulatory frameworks for the industry, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday.

"We don't want to create more regulatory norms for automobile industry when it's going through a bad phase," Gadkari said while addressing the 60th Society of Indian Automotive Manufacturers (SIAM) convention.

The government is also open to look into delaying future regulation changes till the industry recovers, he said.

He also added that the government is open to suggestions from the automobile industry and ready to make changes in the regulations based on the industry’s concerns and constructive recommendations.

Gadkari also urged the automakers to bring flexible-fuel vehicle technology to India. Flexible fuel technology, wherein ethanol can be blended with petrol, is popular in Brazil, US and Canada, he explained.

He said that the government is preparing a policy wherein automobile companies with a net worth of over Rs 250 crore will be allowed to open their own petrol pumps on the condition that they also have to open a prescribed number of clean fuel pumps.

On the issue of recent notification of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) allowing the sale of an electric vehicle without batteries which has left many manufacturers concerned about the overall quality and safety of the end product, he said that the required testing procedures will be followed for manufacturing these batteries.

Vikram Kirloskar, vice-chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, the industry should work more on increasing the ethanol blending in petrol.