Govt plans ₹1,000 crore subsidy for creating EV charging infra
NEW DELHI: The Union government plans to provide ₹1,000 crore as subsidy for building a nationwide charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVS) as it seeks to expedite the roll-out of an ambitious EV programme, said two people aware of the development on condition of anonymity.
The ministry of heavy industries (MHI) is drafting a cabinet note on the ways and means to set up t he i nfrastructure. According to the draft reviewed by the government plans 1,000 charging stations across India, especially on major high- ways such as the Delhi-chandigarh, Delhi-mumbai and Mumbai-surat-pune stretches.
A charging station will be installed every 25km on these highways, says the note. There will be additional focus on cities with population exceeding 2 million. A spokesperson for MHI didn’t respond to emailed queries seeking comment.
India unveiled its National Electric Mobility Mission Plan in 2013, but it has since gone slow on its targets as the government realized the need for adequate infrastructure.
The procurement is to be done for 10,000 EVS in two phases. The ₹1,000 crore corpus may be earmarked in phase II of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Scheme (FAME). The government plans to deploy about 5,000 electric buses in phase II of FAME, which will expire in 2023.