The Union Minister said that at present, there is no proposal under consideration in the Ministry of Heavy Industries to set up an Auto R&D cluster in the state of Odisha.
EV customers are encouraged through various government schemes. Like- FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) scheme in India. The scheme is for five years from April 1, 2019, with a total budget of Rs 11,500 crore. The scheme encouraged e-2 wheelers, e-3 wheelers, e-4 wheelers, e-buses and EV public charging stations.
It is noteworthy that the Finance Ministry has reduced the GST on electric vehicles from 12 percent to 5 percent. The Transport Ministry has announced that battery-powered vehicles will be given green license plates and exempted from permit requirements.
The Transport Ministry has issued a notification advising states to waive road tax on electric vehicles, which will help in reducing the initial cost of electric vehicles. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has also amended the ‘Model Building By-Laws’, under which it has been made mandatory to include charging stations in private and commercial buildings.
The number of EV vehicles may increase further in the coming days. The reason for this is the Prime Minister Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme. The scheme, which came into effect from October 1, 2024, will run till March 31, 2026. Its objective is to strengthen the charging infrastructure across the country and make the country stronger in EV manufacturing.
