New Delhi, May 21 (HS): Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy reviewed the expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the country in an inter-ministerial meeting on Wednesday. In the meeting, a budget of ₹2,000 crores was allocated for the establishment of 72,000 EV charging stations across the country under the ₹10,900 crore PM E-Drive scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy held a meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and the Ministry of Heavy Industries to review the EV charging infrastructure across the country and expedite the process. The ministry stated that the PM E-Drive scheme, with a financial allocation of ₹2,000 crores, will support the establishment of around 72,000 public EV charging stations across the country. These stations will be strategically deployed at high-traffic locations such as 50 national highway corridors, metro cities, toll plazas, railway stations, airports, fuel outlets, and state highways.

The central minister also expressed his commitment to ensuring energy security, reducing carbon emissions, and empowering citizens through green transportation by building a robust, accessible, and future-ready EV environment in an inter-ministerial coordination meeting to review and accelerate the implementation of EV charging infrastructure under the PM E-Drive scheme. The PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-Drive) scheme will support the acceptance of electric vehicles in India over two years, promoting 2.479 million electric two-wheelers, 316,000 e-three-wheelers, and 14,028 e-buses.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar