Team Herald
PANJIM: Marching towards developing into a ‘green’ State, the Goa government is working on a plan to replace its 60,000-odd old petrol or diesel engine commercial and public transport vehicles with electric ones. On a pilot basis, Renewable Energy Minister Nilesh Cabral said that the government will hire electric vehicles for various departments.
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The Minister was speaking during the launch of 2-wheeler electric vehicles, by the EESL – Convergence Energy Services Limited (Convergence), a Government of India company which is also working on making solar power chargers for the two wheelers. It has launched a clean mobility scheme that will be applicable for the first 10,000 electric two-wheelers sold in the State, which will reduce 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year and remove 10 per cent of polluting vehicles off Goa’s roads.
Cabral said that the State is targeting the use renewable energy. He said the government is working on a scheme for people to switch to electric vehicles, by scrapping their old vehicles, wherein the government would offer a host of subsides and incentives.
A cash incentive that works like a buyback programme, wherein the old vehicle is scrapped and the user gets a new one on EMI or cash payment at subsidised rates, no registration charges, etc.
“Goa is a biker’s destination. We have close to a million two-wheelers in Goa, comprising almost 70 per cent of the State’s vehicle population. These will be converted into electric two-wheelers or e-Bikes by CESL. Around 10,000-15,000 bikes would be put in use for commercial purpose,” he said.
“We have another around 55,000-60,000 commercial or public transport buses, rickshaw, taxis, pilots, good vehicle, etc. Those above 15 years would be scrapped replacing them with electric vehicles. Charging stations would be put up at designated parking spaces as well as in each petrol pumps,” Minister said.
“We have around 550 government vehicles. On a pilot basis, we would replace these old vehicles. Even the Chief Minister and I want to make use of electric vehicle,” he added.
“We don’t want to become Delhi model of pollution. Our vehicle population is equal to human population, as on today. So it is better to take steps now,” he said.
