Delhi Govt Likely to Roll Out Subsidy Scheme Under EV Policy Soon

The Delhi government is likely to roll out from next week the subsidy scheme under its newly-launched electric vehicle (EV) policy, officials said.

The EV policy of the Delhi government was notified last month. Launching the policy, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had said it aimed at registration of around five lakh electric vehicles in the city in the next five years.

A demonstration of software for disbursal of the subsidy under the policy was made by officials of a private bank in a meeting with transport minister Kailash Gahlot on September 9, 2020, a senior government official confirmed to PTI.

“The software developed by ICICI bank will be used for payment of subsidy to the people buying electric vehicles in Delhi. The subsidy scheme is expected to be launched from next week,” he said.

Under the newly announced EV policy, the Delhi government will give an incentive of up to Rs 30,000 for two-wheelers, autos, e-rickshaws, and goods carriers while a subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh will be provided for the purchase of electric four-wheelers. It has been reported that, as per the scheme’s payment mechanism, the subsidy will be paid to the eligible buyers of electric vehicles within two days.

“The vehicle dealers will access the software and fill the details of the electric vehicle and its buyer at the time of sale. Within 48 hours, the subsidy amount will be credited in the bank account of the buyer after verification by concerned motor licensing officers,” the government official said.

The vehicle dealers will have to be self-registered with the Transport department of the Delhi government, to be able to process the subsidy at the time of sale of electric vehicles, he said.

The state government had also announced that under the new policy it will also waive off registration fees and road tax for the new vehicles. And will also give low-interest loans on electric commercial vehicles under the policy.

An important element of the policy is that all the state government incentives will be over and above the central government’s FAME II scheme. A point that was stressed upon by CM Arvind Kejriwal in his presser last month.

The policy also has a scrapping incentive, a first in the country, for buying new electric vehicles where buyers can turn in their old petrol or diesel-run vehicles for a new electric vehicle.

“The policy aimed to register at least 25 percent electric vehicles by 2024, up from 0.2% currently,” Kejriwal had said.