Jharkhand, in an effort to phase out the use of traditional fuel vehicles for sustainable mobility and reduce emissions, is developing a policy that would incentivize the purchase of Electric Vehicles (EVs), with a goal of achieving a 10% share of registration by 2026.
The transportation department aims for the registration of roughly 50,000 EV/compressed natural gas (CNG) or battery-powered vehicles, out of 5 lakh vehicles registered every year in the state.
“By March 2024, we will have completed the installation of charging and refuelling stations along designated routes, and by March 2026, 10% of total registered vehicles will be EV/CNG-based,” an official stated.
A high-ranking source in the transport department of the state confirmed the development, saying that the policy is being implemented to seize carbon credits and facilitate a smooth transfer of public transportation vehicles to sustainable energy.
The plan is also similar to the state EVs’ policy, which was created by the state industries department and was addressed with leading automobile businesses by chief minister Hemant Soren earlier this year during his investors meeting in the country’s capital.
According to the policy draft, public transportation vehicles, including three and four-wheelers that run on petrol and diesel, will be phased out of nine cities in the state by March 2026 and replaced with cleaner options such as CNG or batteries.
The programme would spare three and four-wheeler owners using traditional fuel, from registration, fitness, and permit costs if they transition to CNG or EV/battery-operated vehicles, the insider said.
Infrastructure improvement is also a key aspect of the policy, and the state transportation agency has chosen a half-dozen intercity routes that will be outfitted with CNG stations and charging outlets for clean mobility vehicles.
An official aiding in policy development said that the battery swapping facility will also be provided at charging stations to facilitate hassle-free long-distance travel via EVs.
When contacted, Ravishankar Vidyarthi, the joint transport commissioner, stated that the work for policy is in progress and the department is doing everything they can to ensure the transition to cleaner mobility in the coming years.
He also brings out that they have already ceased registering and issuing licenses to diesel-powered auto-rickshaws in Ranchi since February of last year.
“Aside from that, the number of battery-powered vehicles in the state has climbed to 10,000 in the last few years,” he stated.
