Now, EVs bought outside Chandigarh eligible for incentives

Dushyant Singh Pundir

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Chandigarh, July 4

Local residents, who have purchased electric vehicles from outside the city, are now eligible for the incentives as per the Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy-2022.

During a meeting held under the chairmanship of UT Adviser Dharam Pal to review the EV Policy here yesterday, approval was granted for releasing incentives to the consumers, who are permanent residents of Chandigarh, and have purchased electric vehicles from other states or the UT.

The Chief Executive Officer, Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), the nodal agency for the implementation of the EV Policy, said at present, consumers (who are permanent residents of Chandigarh) purchasing electric vehicles from other states/outside Chandigarh and registering these in Chandigarh are not eligible for the incentive because as per the current EV Policy-2022, consumers must purchase and register e-vehicles in Chandigarh only.

After deliberations, the Adviser gave approval to allowing those consumers to avail themselves of the subsidy as proposed by the CEO.

Similarly, approval was also given to provide incentives for electric two-wheelers irrespective of empanelment with portal of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME-II) India scheme.

The CEO also informed the meeting that after the notification of the EV Policy on September 20, 2022, the models of HERO make, which were active on the FAME-II website, were suddenly discontinued for not complying with the guidelines of FAME-II Policy, resulting in many customers not being able to take benefit of the EV Policy.

It was proposed to allow for the release of incentives to such e-vehicles in all categories that comply with the guidelines of FAME-II, but have Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) certification, so as to meet the objective of establishing Chandigarh as “Model EV City” by the end of the policy period.

Relaxing the norms, the Adviser approved allowing the incentives to vehicles irrespective of empanelment with the FAME portal, but the condition of ARAI certification will be there and the same will be placed in the EV Policy instead of FAME-II condition.

Apart from a complete waiver on registration fee and road tax, the UT has offered incentives in the range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 2 lakh for the first 42,000 buyers of e-vehicles of all categories during the policy period. Besides, a special early bird incentive of Rs 2,000 is also given for purchase of e-bicycle and a minimum of Rs 3,500/kWh up to Rs 50,000 for other categories of the vehicles purchased and registered in the first year of the policy period.

A day after the UT Administration relaxed the capping on the registration of non-electric two-wheelers, the UT Transport Department has compiled the figures of such vehicles to be registered this financial year.

An official said after revision, now 15,507 fuel-based two wheelers can be registered in the city in 2023-24 fiscal. Earlier, only 6,202 non-electric two-wheelers could be registered in the financial year.

Subsidy amount

Apart from a complete waiver on registration fee and road tax, the UT has offered incentives in the range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 2 lakh for the first 42,000 buyers of e-vehicles of all categories during the policy period. Besides, a special early bird incentive of Rs 2,000 is also given for purchase of e-bicycle and a minimum of Rs 3,500/kWh up to Rs 50,000 for other categories of the vehicles purchased and registered in the first year of the policy period.

15,507 fuel-based 2-wheelers can be registered this fiscal

An official said now, 15,507 fuel-based two-wheelers could be registered in the city in the 2023-24 fiscal. Earlier, only 6,202 non-electric two-wheelers could be registered in the financial year.