About 1.65 lakh EVs supported as on November 25 under Phase-2 of FAME India scheme

About 1.65 lakh electric vehicles have been supported as on November 25 this year under the second phase of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) India scheme, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries formulated the scheme in March 2015 to promote adoption of electric/ hybrid vehicles (EVs) in the country. Phase-1 of the scheme was available up to March 31, 2019.

Based on the outcome and experience gained during Phase-1 and after having consultations with all stakeholders, the government notified Phase-2 of the scheme on March 8, 2019 for five years with effect from April 1, 2019 and with a total budgetary support of Rs 10,000 crore.

This phase focuses on supporting electrification of public and shared transportation and aims to support, through subsidies, about 7,000 e-buses, 5 lakh e-three wheelers, 55,000 e-four wheeler passenger cars and 10 lakh e-two wheelers.

In addition, creation of charging infrastructure is also supported. "Under Phase-II of FAME India Scheme, about 1.65 lakh electric vehicles have been supported, as on November 25, 2021, by way of demand incentive amounting to about Rs 564 crore.

"Further, 6,315 electrical buses have been sanctioned to various State/City Transport Undertakings under Phase-II of the scheme," Minister of State for Heavy Industries Krishan Pal Gurjar said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The ministry has also sanctioned 2,877 EV charging stations amounting to Rs 500 crore in 68 cities across 25 states/UTs and 1,576 charging stations amounting to Rs 108 crore across nine expressways and 16 highways under the scheme, he said.

In a separate reply, the minister said sales of automobiles have been affected in the last two years due to the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

"Production and sales of automobiles have been impacted due to lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19," he added.

Replying to another question, Gurjar said the government has identified and approved the closure of eight loss making/sick Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), under the administrative control of the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

The companies are HMT (Watches) Ltd, HMT (Chinar Watches) Ltd, HMT (Bearings) Ltd, Bharat Pumps and Compressors, Scooter India Ltd, Instrumentation Ltd (Kota Unit), Hindustan Cables, and Tungabhadra Steel Products.