E-vehicle policy to drive state growth
GOVT READY TO HELP INVESTORS
Patna: Bihar is coming up with an “electric vehicles policy” to promote manufacturing and use of such automobiles in the state.
It will be out soon and is expected to provide the rules for a sector which is zooming ahead at high speed on the path of growth. “We will bring an ‘electric vehicles policy’ in Bihar very soon. Meetings have already been held with the urban development and housing, as well as the transport departments. We are ready to provide all help to investors who want to set up bases here,” industries minister Jai Kumar Singh said.
The industries minister was speaking at a daylong conference titled “Investment opportunities in electric mobility” organised by the Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (Biada) in association with the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and other partners in the state capital on Thursday. Industries principal secretary S. Siddharth, Biada managing director R.S. Srivastav and several others were present on the occasion.
Siddharth extended invitation to electric vehicle manufacturers and said the state government has already organised three meetings with investors and entrepreneurs. “We will hold the fourth meeting at Manesar in Haryana, which is the automobile hub of the country,” Siddharth said.
Pointing out that electric vehicles have an important role in controlling pollution and global warming, Singh added that Bihar with an over 11 crore population presented suitable, growth-oriented destination, replete with human resources, to the manufacturers of such vehicles.
“Bihar has no problem of land for electric vehicles and we can establish charging stations beneath road over bridges and near night shelters for the destitute,” Singh said.
“E-rickshaws have been growing at around 22 per cent per annum. The state has six local manufacturing units and over 100 assembly units that are catering to the e-rickshaw market. The state government has a large pool of land available at different locations and various types of reimbursements could be given to entrepreneurs,” Srivastav said.
Vice-president (asset management [solar] and sustainability) of Fortum India Private Limited, Awadhesh Kumar Jha, said: “The cost of vehicle and its batteries are falling.”
Jha further pointed towards two of the biggest concerns for recharging facilities were continuous supply of electricity and space to set them up. He added that shopping malls, cinema halls and community halls should also be tapped to provide recharging facilities to e-rickshaws.
Maruti Suzuki head (government and policy affairs), Ashish Chutani, too spoke at the conference pointing towards the huge scope of e-rickshaws and vehicles in Bihar and suggested that the state government should play a pro-active role in supporting industrial units in tapping the market.
Representatives from Honda Cars India Ltd, Terra Motors, Electrotherm India (Yo Bykes) and EV Auto Technologies Private Limited were present at the conference.
Source: telegraphindia
