PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced that his government will come up with a new policy to provide subsidies to e-vehicle buyers.
Last year, his government had abruptly discontinued the EV subsidy scheme.
“The policy will be for two, three and four-wheeler e-vehicles. While 30 per cent subsidy will be for two-wheelers, it will be 40% for three-wheelers and for four-wheelers it will be up to Rs 3 lakh," Sawant said.
The chief minister also spoke of EV-charging infra at every 25 kilometer location along highways. In cities, charging stations will be set up at shorter distances, he said.
Sawant also urged people to opt for electric vehicles even as he promised that in the coming months petrol stations across the State will have EV charging points.
Meanwhile, 20 more air-conditioned EV buses were added to the fleet of the Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) at an event held in Bambolim where Sawant said his government aims to eventually make the State-owned public transport behemoth a "100% EV bus operator".
Flagging off the 20 new buses, Sawant said the KTC had managed to reduce carbon emissions to a great extent with introduction of electric buses into its fleet.
Sawant said the government will take initiatives to tackle carbon emissions and ensure pollution-free environment, adding that 200 more e-buses will be inducted in the KTCL fleet.
The 20 new buses inducted in the KTCL fleet on Thursday are also an initiative to ensure easy accessibility for Divyangs and are semi-low floor buses.
In another measure that could significantly improve the battered profile of Goa's mass public transportation system, Sawant said the government is working to introduce night bus transportation. He said, privately owned buses being incorporated into the KTCL's fleet will be formalised soon and the nitty-gritties are being worked out.
