The finance ministry has directed all ministries and departments to scrap all 15-year-old vehicles that have become unserviceable.

The Department of Expenditure, under the finance ministry, in an office memorandum said the existing provisions of condemnation of vehicles have been reconsidered in consultation with Niti Aayog and the road transport ministry considering the broad objectives of the government to reduce pollution and improve passenger safety and fuel efficiency.

"It has been decided that henceforth all the condemned vehicles (including prematurely condemned vehicles) belonging to ministries/departments of government of India, shall only be scrapped," it said in an office memorandum.

Scrapping of such vehicles shall only be at registered vehicle scrapping facilities, it said, adding that vehicles which have been condemned or reached 15 years of age, will not be auctioned.

The detailed procedure for scrapping of all such vehicles shall be separately notified by the road transport ministry, the expenditure department said.