Delhi govt will ensure only EVs are hired by its depts within 6 months: CM

New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday launched the 'Switch Delhi' campaign and said his government will ensure that within the next six months, only electric vehicles are hired by different departments of his government.

Under the campaign, awareness will be created about the benefits of electric vehicles and how they can contribute to making Delhi clean and pollution-free, he announced.

The chief minister appealed for people to join the campaign to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and contribute towards the fight against pollution in Delhi.

Kejriwal asked delivery chains and big companies, resident welfare associations, market associations, malls and cinema halls to promote electric vehicles and set up charging stations in their premises.

"I also want to appeal to the youth to buy an electric vehicle as their first vehicle," he said, appealing to people to make the campaign a mass movement.

Under its electric vehicle policy, the Delhi government has planned extensive subsidies on the purchase of electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers, besides waiving road tax and registration charges, he said.

Incentives on EVs range from a maximum of Rs 30,000 for two and three-wheelers and up to Rs 1,50,000 on the purchase of 4-wheelers, he said. The subsidy is received directly in the bank account within three days of the purchase of an electric vehicle, he added.

More than 6,000 electric vehicles have been purchased since the policy launch in August 2020. The government has also issued tenders for setting up 100 charging stations across the city, Kejriwal said.

The government has fixed an ambitious target of 25 per cent electric vehicles among total vehicle registrations in Delhi by 2024, he said.

The government which leads by example, has decided that all hired cars being engaged by various departments of the Delhi government will transition to EVs within six months, he said.