UP govt to convert its official fleet to EVs

Lucknow: In a significant push to promote sales and usage of electric vehicles (EVs) in the government sector, the Yogi Adityanath government has set a target to convert vehicles used in all government departments into EVs in a phased manner by 2030.

Instructions have been given that all the government departments can purchase EVs on the basis of nomination even without tender, and can spend more than the maximum limit as per the requirement. “By achieving this target, Uttar Pradesh can become the first state in the country to have 100 per cent EV in government departments before 2030,” a government spokesman said here.

To encourage EV vehicles in the state, the government notified the Uttar Pradesh Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy 2022 on October 14. Under this, the government has provided exemption from tax and registration fees for 3 years on the purchase of EVs. At the same time, this exemption will be valid for 5 years on the purchase of EVs manufactured in the state.

In the order issued by Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, all the departments and institutions working under them have been instructed to convert 100 per cent of vehicles into EVs by 2030 as per the EV policy.

It has also been said that EV vehicles should be purchased based on the nomination without tender and the prevailing upper limit on purchasing vehicles for official events should be relaxed.

According to an official of the Uttar Pradesh transport department, since government vehicles were till now procured through tenders on the GeM portal, EV companies are not registered with it. That is why a provision has been made in the policy that EVs can be purchased from government agencies like Rajasthan Electronics Instrument Ltd. (REIL) and Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. (EESL) etc based on the nomination without tender.

At the same time, since electric vehicles are currently more expensive than petrol-diesel, the government has also given relaxation on the upper maximum expenditure limit on the purchase of vehicles.

The chief secretary has also instructed all the departments that EVs should be included in the advance given by the state government for vehicles to the employees working in government departments.

Along with this, it has been said that the department should ensure action on this within the stipulated time. This step has also been taken to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles.

To promote EVs in UP, the Yogi government has decided to give up to 100 per cent exemption on road tax and registration fees for three years. This calculation of three years will be done from October 14, 2022. If a person buys electric vehicles made in UP, he will get a rebate of up to five years.

Discounts are also being given by the central government on EVs. The state government’s rebate will be separate from the central government’s subsidy. Due to the exemption from the central and state government, the prices of two-wheelers will likely be reduced by Rs 20,000 and the cost of cars by about Rs 1 lakh.

As per the government policy in UP, a 15 per cent subsidy will be given on the factory price of the EV.