Delhi Government’s Electric Vehicle Policy | UPSC

HEADLINES:

Experts welcome Delhi government’s electric vehicle policy

WHY IN NEWS:

The policy aims to make a quarter of all new vehicle registrations battery-operated by 2024

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Transport

LEARNING:

For PRELIMS it is not an important initiative as it is a state policy.

For MAINS this can prove to be the first step to improvise your FAME answers ! Also go through the key highlights of the policy .

ISSUE:

The electric vehicle registration dropped by 93.4 per cent between March and April 2020.

AIM

The Delhi government August 7, 2020, notified the New Electric Vehicle Policy under which it aims to make a quarter of all new vehicle registrations battery-operated by 2024.

SIGNIFICANCE

This policy is being seen as a stimulus strategy to boost jobs and economy.
The proposed 25 per cent transformation could catalyse electric vehicle production and bring more product diversity.

According to the VAHAN database- Electric vehicles comprised only 3.2 per cent of the new vehicles registered in Delhi in 2019-20.

The intervention is critical to cushion the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the overall vehicle market.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POLICY

A purchase incentive of Rs 5,000 per kilowatt / hour of battery capacity (advanced battery), maximum incentive of Rs 30,000 per vehicle for two-wheelers.
A purchase incentive of Rs 30,000 per vehicle (advanced battery) for e-autos.
A purchase incentive of Rs 30,000 per vehicle for purchase of one e-rickshaw and e-cart. Additionally, interest subsidy of 5 per cent on loans on vehicles with advanced battery.

Conversion of 50 per cent of all new stage carriage buses (all public transport vehicles with 15 seats or more) by 2022.

A purchase incentive of Rs 10,000 per kilowatt / hour of battery capacity (advanced battery), and maximum incentive of Rs 150,000 per vehicle to the first 1,000 e-four wheelers.
Complete removal of road tax and registration fee for all battery electric vehicles.

An ‘EV (Electric Vehicle) Cell’ will be established to implement the policy.

IASbhai WINDUP:

It is commendable that the much-awaited notification has happened despite the ongoing novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis and economic slowdown.
This Electric Vehicle Policy is the country’s most progressive policy .
It is expected that 5 lakh new electric vehicles will be registered in the next five years.

SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Delhi Government’s Electric Vehicle Policy | UPSC

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