May 9, 2011: A planning commission committee has backed environment minister Jairam Ramesh on imposing higher tax on Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) but has failed to provide technological answers to achieve low carbon growth as desired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"We have suggested that there should be higher tax on diesel and diesel run SUVs," said Kirit Parekh, expert group on low carbon strategies for inclusive growth. The interim report speaks of incentives to people to buy environment friendly vehicles and disincentive for pollution vehicles.

The group constituted following the hope of a climate deal after the Copenhagen climate summit failed to meet its initial deadline of three months and came out with its interim report in 14 months. It projected that India will be able to meet its Copenhagen commitment of reduction in emission intensity of the GDP by 20-25 % by 2020 without compromising India's growth target of 8 %.

Even then, its recommendations did not find favour with the commission. "We have constituted different working groups for the 12th plan on low carbon growth and the committee's report will considered only after the groups submit their report," said plan panel deputy chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Ramesh, however, refused to comment on contents of the report cautioned of the trade-offs to achieve 8 % low carbon growth. "Some trade-offs would be acceptable and some not. I think the committee will provide insight into this inspect in its final report," he said. Read the full report here.

Source: Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times, New Delhi.