State govt is set to introduce a new electric vehicle (EV) policy that will revolutionise the mobility sector. Under the upcoming policy, all govt departments will be required to purchase electric vehicles for official use, while employees at the state secretariat will only be issued vehicle passes for EVs.
Disclosing the decision on Saturday, deputy chief minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, who also holds the energy portfolio, said, “There is a plan to ensure that for new purchases, at least a certain percentage of vehicles would be EVs. Gradually, the existing petrol and diesel vehicles will be phased out.”
The governor’s house recently purchased four EVs, which are part of his carcade. While the governor has led by example, similar initiatives will be expanded to various govt departments, Singh Deo told a news conference. Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati appealed to people to gradually shift from petrol and diesel vehicles. “The transition is a crucial step towards reducing pollution, cutting dependence on fossil fuel, and supporting a cleaner and more sustainable future,” he said.
Singh Deo said that besides a proactive policy, the govt will create EV-friendly infrastructure so that people happily switch from conventional vehicles to EVs.
He said the govt will ensure there are enough fast charging points across fuel filling stations, malls, large residential complexes and other similar strategic locations so that people using EVs don’t need to worry about the availability of charging stations.
“Secondly, the govt is also working on battery swapping arrangements. People can drop their batteries having low charge and pick up a charged one on the move. Various working models are being explored,” the deputy CM said.
Energy secretary Vishal Kumar Dev said the new policy is in the discussion stage and will be formulated soon to improve upon the existing policy formulated in 2021. Under the existing policy, the govt offers various subsidies to buy EVs.
