Turf war over electric vehicles?
Both transport and heavy industries ministries involved
While Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari has asked automakers to prepare for a shift towards electric and alternative fuel-run vehicles and claimed that his ministry has even prepared a Cabinet note on electric vehicles which will take care of charging stations, there seems to be some confusion as the heavy industry ministry is yet to finalise a note on its ambitious National Electric Mobility Mission which envisions a shift towards hybrid and electric vehicles.
Significantly with the heavy industry ministry being the nodal ministry for auto-manufacturers, a possible turf war may emerge between the two ministries on the issue of electric and hybrid vehicles, as the ambitious National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020 is the brainchild of the heavy industry ministry, whereas the transport minister is claiming to have prepared a note on electric vehicles.
Highly-placed sources involved in the framing of the policy related to electric and hybrid vehicles, informed this newspaper that the Heavy Industry Ministry is still working on the Cabinet note which will give a concrete shape to the Centre’s ambitious National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 2020.
A top official said that the Cabinet note is yet to be sent to various stakeholders as well as to the government think tank Niti Aayog, whose views are to be inculcated before the Mission is finalised and sent for Cabinet’s approval.
They further said that while the Transport Minister may have asked automakers to seriously look at shifting towards vehicles which would run on alternative fuel and electricity, major challenges in terms of lack of infrastructure for charging facilities for electric vehicles as well as indigenisation of battery manufacturing, remain.
Sources also informed that considering the urgency being shown within the Government, things should have moved at a faster pace in terms of finalising the Cabinet note on the Electric Mobility Mission, as a lot of clarity is still required on the above mentioned issues.