Under the PM e-Bus Sewa-Payment Security Mechanism (PSM) scheme, three states, namely Gujarat, Telangana and Karnataka, have placed requests with the Centre for 15,000 electric buses (e-buses) at a subsidised price.
India aims to deploy 50,000 e-buses by 2030, with a focus on nine major cities and seven states -- Gujarat, Telangana, Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal -- under the National Electric Bus Program (NEBP), which was launched in 2022.
Demand from the remaining four states are still awaited, officials said.
"We got a demand for 15,000 e-buses from Gujarat, Telangana, and Karnataka under the PSM scheme against our target of 14,000. Delhi is in the process of specifying the numbers, and it will come shortly. However, no demand has come from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal," one of the officials said.
The ministry of heavy industries plans to spend about 40 per cent of the Rs 10,900 crore PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-Drive) scheme towards electrification of public transport.
It has allocated Rs 4,391 crore to roll out a little over 14,000 e-buses by providing the vehicles at a subsidised price by the end of FY26. "Now, we are mulling over whether to open a tender for these states and give them (the e-buses) in the first phase, or wait for another month for the remaining states and do it at one go. We will take a call in a week," the official added.
Puja Das, Business Standard
© 2025 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances
