Karnataka Budget 2024: Govt to set up 2,500 EV charging stations under PPP model

Karnataka Budget 2024: The state budget announcement comes a month after the Union Finance Minister on February 1 said the government will push for EV manufacturing and the development of charging infrastructure.

In a boost to the Electric Vehicle ecosystem, the Karnataka Government has proposed to set up nearly 2,500 EV charging stations across the state under a public-private partnership model, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in his budget speech on February 16.

“To encourage Electric Vehicles in the State, 2,500 Electric Vehicle Charging Stations will be set up under public-private Partnership,” the Chief Minister has said.

Apart from EV charging stations, the government has also proposed to invest Rs 35 crore to set up 100 charging centers in partnership with power supply companies.

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The state budget announcement comes a month after the Union Finance Minister on February 1 said the government will push for EV manufacturing and the development of charging infrastructure.

“As India moves towards its net zero emission target by 2070, the Government will work towards expanding and strengthening the EV ecosystem as well as develop the charging infrastructure," said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while delivering the Interim Union Budget 2024 speech.

This comes at a crucial time for the state as EV adoption is accelerating. As per recent data, Karnataka has emerged as the frontrunner in the country, surpassing Maharashtra and Delhi with 5,059 public charging stations.

Statistics from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Union Ministry of Power, show that Karnataka, the first state in India to launch an electric vehicle (EV) policy in 2017, now boasts the most public charging stations.

The Karnataka government is also planning to open electric vehicle charging centers and petrol bunks with Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) in a public-private partnership.

Also Read: Bescom plans 530 EV charging stations under PPP model across Karnataka

In June of 2023, Bescom (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited) announced its plan to establish 530 charging stations within a year under the PPP model across the state.