Latest news with #PMe-DriveScheme
New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Centre allots 2k electric buses for Hyderabad to help fight pollution: Minister Ponnam
HYDERABAD: Disclosing that the Centre has allocated 2,000 electric buses to Hyderabad under the Prime Minister's e-Drive scheme, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar called the development a significant step towards reducing pollution in the city. A release issued on Friday stated that the state government has already introduced a comprehensive Electric Vehicle (EV) policy aimed at curbing pollution, which includes a 100% tax exemption on EVs. As part of its green public transport initiative, the Telangana government has set a target to operate a total of 2,800 electric buses within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) area of Hyderabad. It was mentioned that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, along with Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar, had earlier met with Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy to request central assistance for electric buses. Prabhakar expressed satisfaction that the Centre has responded positively to their appeal by allocating 2,000 buses and urged the Union government to also consider sanctioning the remaining 800 buses to meet the full requirement. It is worth mentioning that Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, HD Kumaraswamy, on Thursday, chaired a high-level meeting to review the rollout of electric buses under the ambitious PM e-Drive Scheme, with a focus on four key states — Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi, and Gujarat. Following detailed discussions, the Ministry announced substantial allocations of electric buses to major cities, including 4,500 for Bengaluru, 2,000 for Hyderabad, 2,800 for Delhi, 1,000 for Ahmedabad, and 600 for Surat. The scheme was launched with the goal of deploying 14,028 electric buses across India, with a financial outlay of Rs 10,900 crore for the period from April 2024 to March 2026.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Karnataka to receive 4,500 electric buses under PM e-Drive scheme
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has announced that Karnataka will receive 4,500 electric buses under the central government's green mobility initiative , the PM e-Drive Scheme . The move is part of India's broader objective to reduce transport-related pollution and achieve net-zero emissions by 2070. 'We've taken a major decision for Karnataka. Under the PM e-Drive initiative, we are providing electric buses. We are working earnestly to realise PM's vision of net zero emissions by 2070,' Kumaraswamy said in a media release. Kumaraswamy criticised Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao for reportedly shutting down Jan Aushadhi Kendras operating within government hospital premises. These centres provide low-cost medicines to the public. 'Are you clearing Jan Aushadhi stores to make space for liquor or narcotics outlets?' Kumaraswamy questioned. He alleged that the move could benefit specific groups while denying affordable medicines to the poor and middle class. The Union Minister also questioned the state government's reported decision to pay ₹1.49 crore to senior advocate Kapil Sibal for representing former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA case. 'Whose money is that? Is it Siddaramaiah's personal money? Why is the government paying for a private legal defense?' he asked. Kumaraswamy further criticised the state Cabinet's alleged decision to halt investigations into irregularities in Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitments from 2011. He alleged that appointments within the KPSC have been linked to financial transactions. 'In fact, the person responsible for the Arkavathi land scam has now been made the KPSC Chairman. They've fixed rates of lakhs and crores for each post,' he said.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Centre okays 10,900 electric buses for five cities
The Ministry of Heavy Industries on Thursday assured that approximately 4,500 electric buses will be provided to Bengaluru, 2,000 to Hyderabad, 2,800 to Delhi, 1,000 to Ahmedabad and 600 to Surat under the current phase of the PM e-Drive Scheme . The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy on the rollout of electric buses. "The session focused on the states of Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi, and Gujarat-marking a strong step forward in advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for clean and inclusive urban transport solutions across India," according to an official statement issued after the meeting. "Thanks to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is now taking bold strides toward sustainable urban mobility. From Bengaluru to Delhi, cities are actively embracing electric buses to make public transport cleaner, smarter, and more efficient," said Kumaraswamy. "We are not merely allocating electric buses-we are shaping the future of India's transport system with innovation and environmental consciousness," the Union Minister said. "With close coordination between the Centre and states like Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi, and Gujarat, we are determined to deliver on the PM e-Drive promise," he added. The PM e-Drive initiative aims to deploy 14,028 electric buses with a total financial outlay of ₹10,900 crore over a two-year period from April 2024 to March 2026. The minister said the scheme represents one of the world's largest national efforts to electrify public transport at scale and the government was committed to timely delivery, operational readiness, and strategic partnerships with all participating states. The Ministry of Heavy Industry (MHI) has also introduced E-vouchers for EV buyers to avail the demand incentive under the scheme. Under the PM e-drive scheme an allocation of ₹500 crore each has been done for the deployment of e-ambulances and e-trucks as well. This is new initiative of the Centre to promote the use of e-ambulances for comfortable patient transport. Similarly, e-trucks have also been introduced under the scheme since trucks are major contributors to air pollution. To avail subsidy on e-truck submission of a scrapping certificate from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) approved vehicles scrapping centres (RVSF) has been made mandatory.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
PM e-Drive scheme: Electric buses to take Bengaluru fleet size to over 10,000
Bengaluru: After stagnating at around 6,700 buses for nearly eight years despite an exponential increase in Bengaluru's population, the city's bus fleet is set to breach the 10,000-mark soon on the back of the addition of 4,500 electric buses, likely over the next one year. The addition under the PM e-Drive scheme will provide a significant boost to green mobility in Bengaluru. Experts have long advocated that Bengaluru — given its growth rate and attendant urban transport ills — requires no less than 10,000 buses to adequately meet its public transport demand. To make best use of the expanded fleet, they cautioned against prioritising only high-profit routes or renting buses to private companies at the expense of commuters. For the record, Bengaluru accounts for over 1.2 crore vehicles, and more than 1 crore of them are private bikes and cars. The city, which recently reaffirmed its dubious status of being among the slowest cities for traffic in the world, had failed to add a significant number of buses to its fleet since 2017-18. Currently, the fleet has just 6,800 buses, with electric vehicles accounting for 25% of them. In a major step towards addressing this, Bengaluru is set to receive 4,500 e-buses under the PM e-Drive Scheme, the largest allocation among all participating cities. The announcement came after a high-level meeting chaired by Union minister for heavy industries and steel HD Kumaraswamy, which discussed the rollout of the scheme across states. Prof Ashish Verma, convener of Sustainable Transportation Lab at Indian Institute of Science, welcomed the move but emphasised the need for a strategic approach to implementation. He stressed that simply increasing the number of buses is not enough. "BMTC must adopt a rational and scientific approach in the deployment of its fleet, including planning routes, optimising schedules, and preventing issues such as bus bunching. The focus should be on maximising public benefit rather than commercial interests." A press release from the Union minister's office said 2,000 buses would be allocated to Hyderabad, 2,800 to Delhi, 1,000 to Ahmedabad, and 600 to Surat under the current phase of PM e-Drive. "From Bengaluru to Delhi, cities are actively embracing e-buses to make public transport cleaner, smarter, and more efficient. We aren't merely allocating e-buses, we're shaping the future of India's transport system with innovation and environmental consciousness," the minister added. "With close coordination between the Centre and states like Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi and Gujarat, we are determined to deliver on the PM e-Drive promise. " The scheme aims to deploy 14,028 e-buses with a total outlay of Rs 10,900 crore over a two-year period — from April 2024 to March 2026. Recently, state transport minister Ramalinga Reddy met the Union minister to seek the allocation of e-buses under the central scheme. Currently, BMTC operates 1,405 e-buses through agreements with four private operators. These buses run under the gross cost contract model. Additionally, BMTC is set to induct 370 more buses under existing agreements. A majority of e-buses in the current fleet were inducted under FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of [Hybrid and] Electric Vehicles) scheme. As BMTC shifts gears for a greener Bengaluru and better commuting experience for its citizens, it should promote public transport by introducing dedicated bus lanes and other infrastructural improvements, an expert said.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
India's biggest electric bus drive begins—14,028 buses, ₹10,900 cr plan unveiled
New Delhi: In a significant step towards electrifying India's public transport system, the Union government informed about the allocation of electric buses to major cities under the PM e-Drive Scheme . Bengaluru will receive 4,500 electric buses, Delhi 2,800, Hyderabad 2,000, Ahmedabad 1,000, and Surat 600, as part of the nationwide rollout. The announcement was made after Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy chaired a high-level inter-ministerial review meeting to assess the progress and coordinate implementation with the states of Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi, and Gujarat. 'Thanks to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is now taking bold strides toward sustainable urban mobility ,' Kumaraswamy said. 'From Bengaluru to Delhi, cities are actively embracing electric buses to make public transport cleaner, smarter, and more efficient.' He added, 'We are not merely allocating electric buses—we are shaping the future of India's transport system with innovation and environmental consciousness. With close coordination between the Centre and states like Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi, and Gujarat, we are determined to deliver on the PM e-Drive promise.' The PM e-Drive Scheme, launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, targets the deployment of 14,028 electric buses across urban India. The scheme comes with a total financial outlay of ₹10,900 crore and is set to be implemented over a two-year period from April 2024 to March 2026. The electric buses are to be deployed in cities with high public transport demand to ensure a transition from fossil fuel-based transport to cleaner alternatives, according to the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The ministry emphasised that the project also aims to enhance commuter experience and improve last-mile connectivity in urban areas. The scheme is designed as one of the largest electric public transport initiatives globally and aims to bring uniformity and scale to India's green mobility transition. It focuses on supporting state transport undertakings with funding, operational flexibility, and technological support. As part of the rollout, BHEL has been identified for coordinating demand aggregation and will play a role in technology support, according to earlier announcements from the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The ministry reiterated that timely delivery, operational readiness, and strategic coordination with state governments remain central to the implementation strategy. Regular follow-ups and joint monitoring mechanisms are being put in place to ensure that deployment milestones are met on schedule. Commenting on the development, Akshit Bansal, Founder & CEO, Statiq said, "As India's leading provider of state-of-the-art EV charging solutions, we at Statiq are proud to support this vision by empowering the nation's electric vehicle journey with innovative, reliable, and widespread charging networks. The expansion of charging stations will significantly boost consumer confidence, making the decision to switch to electric vehicles easier and more practical than ever before. We believe this move will catalyze mass EV adoption, drive sustainable transport, and help India achieve its climate goals faster." Suyash Gupta, Director General, Indian Auto LPG Coalition, said, "The government's investment in expanding EV charging infrastructure under the PM E-DRIVE scheme is a commendable step towards a cleaner, greener future. However, with over 33 crore vehicles on Indian roads still running on petrol and diesel, vehicle emissions remain a major contributor to urban air pollution. While EVs are undoubtedly the future, the immediate and practical solution lies in retrofitting our existing vehicle fleet and actively promoting Auto LPG as a proven, clean alternative fuel. Auto LPG is already available across the country, reduces harmful emissions by up to 68% compared to petrol, and can be adopted quickly through retrofitment—delivering immediate air quality benefits. For India to achieve meaningful progress in the fight against air pollution, we must adopt a balanced approach that accelerates EV adoption while also leveraging the environmental and economic advantages of Auto LPG for our vast existing fleet."
