In efforts to push the electrification of automotive sector in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has finally approved the new Draft of EV policy.
The Draft of EV Policy proposes waiving registration fees and road tax and cash incentives for buying electric vehicles.
Mann in an official statement said the draft of EV policy aims at reducing environmental pollution by checking carbon emissions through the promotion of electric vehicles.
According to the draft of EV policy, EVs will be pushed in the state’s major cities such as Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Patiala, and Bathinda which collectively have more than 50 percent of the state’s vehicles, the statement said.
The new draft of EV policy envisages the registration of 25 percent more electric vehicles in these cities, Mann said.
He said electric charging points infrastructure will be set up across the state for private and public electric vehicles.
Mann also said it will be the government’s focus to establish the state as a hub for manufacturing EVs, their components, and electric batteries.
A centre of excellence will be established for research and development in this field, he said.
The draft of EV policy also proposes cash incentives to the people opting for electric vehicles in the state, he said.
A provision has been made to waive the registration fee and road tax on the registration of these electric vehicles said Mann.
The first 1 lakh buyers of the electric vehicles will get a financial incentive of up to Rs 10,000, whereas the first 10,000 buyers of electric auto rickshaws and e-rickshaw will get a concession of up to Rs 30,000.
He said the first 5,000 e-cart buyers will get an incentive of up to Rs 30,000 and the first 5,000 buyers of light commercial vehicles will get an incentive between upto Rs 30,000-Rs 50,000.
Before finalizing the policy, views of people will be taken, the CM said.