Ladakh joins E-Vehicle Revolution in India

Ladakh joins E-Vehicle Revolution in India

Ladakh, Aug 18: The Union Territory of Ladakh has taken a major step towards making the UT self-sustainable, SMART, integrated and carbon neutral. Under this initiative the administration has come up with the electric vehicle policy “Ladakh’s Electric Vehicle and Allied Infrastructure Policy 2022” which will encourage the transporter and individuals avail subsidy in order to create a carbon neutral future for the UT.

The policy aims to transform Ladakh into a torch bearer in terms of the adoption of electric vehicles in the country and envisions to encourage and cultivate an EV ecosystem in the union territory.

With this policy the administration will encourage the citizens to procure and use e-vehicles in order to create a carbon neutral future for the UT.

The policy will help reduce dependence on fossil fuel powered vehicles, which was high due to the tourism and required transport services.

The policy entails a capital subsidy of 10 per cent on two wheelers, three wheelers, and four wheelers. To encourage sustainable and eco-friendly public transport, public buses will be given a capital subsidy of 25% under the policy.

With a view to encouraging this shift to electric vehicles, the administration has offered an early bird subsidy for the first year of the policy. During the first year the percentage on the subsidy for respective type of vehicles would be double of the normal subsidy being offered for subsequent years. In order to promote electric vehicle, the administration has decided to continue to exempt Electric Vehicles from road taxes, as per S.O.08 dated 26th March 2021.

Further, to enhance the ecosystem of charging facility the administration has offered to subsidise Commercial public Electric Vehicle charging stations for two wheelers, cars and buses. Capital subsidy on equipment/machinery (capital subsidy of 25 per cent on the equipment’s /machinery or Rs 5,00,000 (whichever is less) per station for the first 15 Electric Vehicle charging stations. The policy underlines that the electric power required by commercial EV charging stations would be charged at domestic rates.

The RTO of UT Ladakh has been made responsible to monitor the implementation, point of contact for Electric Vehicle policy, creating awareness regarding the policy as well as the operations guidelines and administering policy.