U'khand to give incentives on sale electric vehicles

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday announced incentives on the sale of electric vehicles in Uttarakhand to encourage the use of eco-friendly vehicles and reduce vehicular pollution level in the state. Making the announcement during a webinar held here to mark Himalaya Diwas, Dhami said the incentives will be given by the Pollution Control Board on the sale of first 5,000 two-wheelers and the first 1,000 four-wheelers sold to private consumers, he said.

The incentive on electric two-wheelers will be either 10 per cent of their price or Rs 7,500 (whichever is lower) while the incentive on four-wheelers will be Rs 50,000 or 5 per cent of their price (whichever is lower).

The incentives will be given in the form of back ended subsidy through Direct Benefit Transfer to the banks, financial institutions or dealers, Dhami said.

Similarly, the electric surcharge levied on the first 250 charging stations for such vehicles will be kept in the domestic category for two years, he said. People and institutions can open a charging station for such vehicles if they have enough land for the purpose and the municipal corporation's permission. Addressing the webinar, Dhami said conservation of the environment and the Himalayas is a collective responsibility to be fulfilled honestly by all. An awareness needs to be created among people for this, he said adding a conference of Himalayan states may also be held in the near future on the issue.