Students in Gujarat can buy cheaper electric vehicles through state subsidies

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced that the state government would offer subsidies to encourage battery-operated two-wheelers and three-wheelers.

Students studying from classes IX up to colleges will receive a ₹12,000 (~$163.60) subsidy covering 10,000 electric two-wheelers. Meanwhile, individual and institutional beneficiaries will receive a ₹48,000 (~$654.21) subsidy for 5,000 three-wheeler e-rickshaws.

CM Rupani also announced a ₹5 million (~$68126.85) program to support infrastructure for charging e-vehicles. The program was a part of five development projects under the ‘Panchsheel’ program announced on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17, 2020.

In January, Gujarat implemented the program to distribute battery-operated vehicles, especially two-wheelers, to the students of grade nine and above.

During 2015-16 and 2016-17, Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) launched this program for battery-operated low-speed two-wheelers in Gandhinagar city and Gandhinagar Urban Development Authority area with the benefit of ₹10,000 (~$141)/BOV for students between grade eight and 12. Later, the same program was extended to four major cities of the state—Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Rajkot.

Earlier, GEDA invited expressions of interest for manufacturers to market and distribute electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers in the state. The EoI has been issued under the GEDA’s battery operated vehicles program with state government subsidy for 2020-21.

Rupani further announced that the state has recently signed ten agreements to reduce the effects of climate change. Among these, the state government signed a pact with the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad for climate change risk management, climate finance, and climate policy. It also joined hands with the Indian Institute of Technology- Gandhinagar for capacity building for climate change and environment, research, and scientific knowledge. Another notable agreement was signed with Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation and Gujarat Gas for increasing the use of clean fuel. The state government also signed a pact for preparing a building code to save energy.