The Uttar Pradesh government has issued an order stating a phased conversion of vehicles used in all government departments into electric vehicles until 2030. This step has been taken to encourage the sale and usage of EVs in the state.
According to an order issued by Chief Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, all departments and institutions that fall under the state's jurisdiction must compulsorily convert all of their vehicles to electric by the year 2030.
To make this order a reality, the government has instructed the purchase of nominations even without tenders. An official said that this is due to the fact that EV companies are not registered on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portals, on which the auction for tenders takes place.
It was also stated that the purchase cost of these EVs can exceed the ceiling amount that was stipulated earlier in the budget. The government reasoned that these electric vehicles trade at a higher cost than petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, and hence the ceiling limit might get breached before the goal is achieved.
It is also notable that state governments make advanced payments to their employees for buying motor vehicles. The employees are supposed to return these vehicles within a stipulated time. The government of Uttar Pradesh said that electric vehicles should be included in the list from now on.
Earlier on October 14, 2022, the Uttar Pradesh government notified the Uttar Pradesh Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy 2022. This policy exempted 100 per cent of road tax and registration fees for 3 years from the date of purchase of the EV. Moreover, if the vehicle is made in Uttar Pradesh, a rebate is provided for 5 years.
The combined subsidies from the central and state government points towards a possible price reduction of about ₹20,000 for two-wheelers and about ₹1 lakh for electric vehicles, which would make the electric options more enticing for buyers. EV sales are thus supposed to grow in the upcoming decade.
The Uttar Pradesh government also speculated that if by 2030 it manages to achieve the goal of converting 100 per cent of its vehicles to electric vehicles, it would be the first state in India to achieve this feat.