Manufacturing and not sales of EV buses an issue, says Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said an order for 1.5 lakh EV buses are ready but the country's manufacturing industry has an annual capacity of only 50,000 annually.

"The issue is not sales of EV buses rather it is the manufacturing of EV buses," said Gadkari while speaking at Green Bharat Summit in New Delhi. "We are launching a start of the art EV bus service in Nagpur which will be cheaper than other bus services."

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According to him, EV industry does not need a subsidy.   "EV tractors requires a subsidy." he said. He also said turning problems into opportunities should be the focus of India's leadership.

"Improving the quality of public transport will help not reduce air pollution but will also help boost the country's economy," he said.

Asked about the bad state of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, Gadkari highlighted multiple measures being taken by his ministry to tackle the issue. "This [air pollution] is happening in a natural process ... transport industry is responsible for 40% of the air pollution ... electric buses, CNG cars, CNG scooters, electric scooters, flex engine initiatives will help us realize the Green Bharat dream. Solar power now makes up 40% of the total power basket," he said.