Delhi government announces key decision on electric vehicles, Kejriwal says every Indian is proud

The Delhi government had also launched a campaign on Tuesday to encourage private vehicle owners to shift to electric vehicles.

The Delhi government on Thursday ordered all its departments, autonomous bodies and grantee institutions to replace there existing fleet of hired conventional fuel vehicles to electric vehicle. The order was issued by special secretary, finance of the Delhi government.

An electric car charging station is positioned outside the Science Museum where Virginia State Senators are meeting for their 2021 legislative session in Richmond, Va., Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. Virginia lawmakers are considering final passage for a bill that aims to reduce carbon pollution by getting more electric vehicles on the road. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)(AP)

"It's history! Driven by the vision of CM @ArvindKejriwal to make Delhi the 'ELectric Vehicle capital', Delhi govt today became the 1st in the world, not just India, to mandate its entire hired car fleet to switch to electric WITHIN a deadline- 6 mths. @SwitchDelhi begins at home," Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia tweeted.

He also said that over 2,000 cars will be impacted by the decision and will transition to EVs in the next six months.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal hailed the decision. "This will go a long way in curbing pollution in Delhi. Delhi is fast becoming a modern city. Every Indian is proud of Delhi," he said on Twitter.

The Delhi government had also launched a campaign on Tuesday to encourage private vehicle owners to shift to electric vehicles. The Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) campaign was launched by Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot.

This comes weeks after Kejriwal had launched the Switch Delhi campaign to spread awareness about the subsidies provided by the city administration on EVs. He had also said that Delhi government will change its fleet of hired cars to electric vehicles (EVs) within the next six months.

The Delhi EV policy, announced in August last year, envisages that 25 per cent of all new vehicle registrations should be Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) by 2024.

The policy gives a subsidy of ₹10,000 per kWh to the first 1,000 e-cars or electric four wheelers, with a capping of ₹150,000 per vehicle. A subsidy of ₹5,000 per kWh of the battery capacity up to ₹30,000 is also to be given on the purchase of each electric two-wheeler, auto-rickshaw, rickshaw and freight vehicle. To push people to shift to EVs, the policy also has a “scrapping incentive” for those who make the switch.

The government is also planning to float a tender to set up the first 100 charging stations across the national capital.