Goa govt plans to convert state buses into electric vehicles

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) of Goa, in a webinar, has suggested the government for consumer benefits and the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the state. The government may ask the stakeholders to arrange free test drives focusing on informing the consumers regarding technology and its advantages. With the use of EVs, vehicular operations in Goa will take a successful step towards clean energy. Besides public transport, private vehicles, including two-wheelers or four-wheelers, can adopt EVs instead of fossil fuel-operated vehicles. The government of Goa intends to convert state buses to EVs in a bid to reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, the government also intends to convert 50% of ferry boats to electric by 2025. Start-up businesses and investment in electric mobility and related sectors may be involved. Apart from this, servicing units and battery repair and maintenance systems are likely to emerge. The government hopes to create 10,000 job opportunities in EV sectors by 2025. Charging stations are also likely to come up based on the vehicular density in each zone, according to the discussion in the webinar. The electric charging station operator can receive cash and online payments through cards, mobile wallets and UPI. Based on the suggestions, the discussed policy will be sent to the finance department for getting approval, and then further steps will be taken for its implementation. Image Source Also read: Govt aims 30% electric vehicle sales for private cars by 2030