Two panels constituted, firm decision yet to be taken
*Roadmap imperative to promote clean mobility
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 10: The ambitious exercise launched by the Jammu and Kashmir Government in October 2022 to frame a comprehensive Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, crucial for promoting clean mobility and reducing pollution, has still not reached its logical conclusion despite the administration repeatedly acknowledging the necessity of a structured EV roadmap.
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The Government, through Order No.1264-JK(GAD) dated October 20, 2022, had set up a committee comprising Administrative Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, Power Development, Transport, Law Departments and Director General (Budget).
The panel was mandated to evaluate and suggest measures to promote electric mobility ecosystem in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir in general and in the twin cities of Jammu and Srinagar in particular, to analyze scope of incentives as may be granted for ownership of electric vehicles, including conversion of existing commercial fleets into electric setup, to suggest broad contours of the infrastructure requirements for shifting to electric mobility, comparing similar policies/rules of neighboring States, to analyze aspects related to road safety associated with the usage of electric vehicles and to suggest measures to promote research and innovation as well as skill development in the field of electric vehicles.
After detailed exercise spread over several months, the panel submitted recommendations to the Government with the strongest emphasis on establishing EV charging stations at District, Sub-Division and Tehsil levels and at every 25 km on major highways. It was also mentioned by the panel that expenditure of around Rs 10 lakh is required to be made for establishment of each fast charging station but without investment in creation of such an infrastructure promotion of electric vehicles is not possible.
Last month, the Government again constituted a committee to re-examine the draft Electric Vehicle Policy and propose necessary recommendations/suggestions after taking into account the changes in the electric vehicle sector since 2021 and also guidelines/rules issued by the concerned Ministries in the field.
The committee has further been asked to calculate the financial implications involved in the incentives being offered under the policy and study the best policy of the country and also study the hybrid modal for inclusion in the policy.
Though one month time-frame has been fixed for the committee yet insiders in the Transport Department reveal that at least two months time is required to work on the terms of reference and make concrete recommendations to the Government.
“Even after the submission of recommendations by the fresh committee procedure like internal discussion in the Transport Department and consultation with the Finance Department will have to be followed before submission of final draft to the Government for placement before the Cabinet for approval as such at present no exact time-frame can be specified for having Electric Vehicle Policy”, sources said.
They further said, “given the rising pollution levels and the national push for clean mobility, the absence of an EV Policy is increasingly being viewed as a critical administrative gap”, adding “the policy is essential to define incentives, frame implementation strategies and create a regulatory structure. Until that happens, EV adoption will remain limited to isolated initiatives”.
“While several States have already rolled out well-defined EV policies with clear incentives and charging corridors, Jammu and Kashmir continues to struggle with structural delays”, they further said, adding “with more than 36 months of deliberations, drafts and inter-departmental exchanges behind it, the EV Policy remains unfinished, even though its necessity is universally acknowledged”.
“If the assurances of senior officers about firm recommendations in the next two months materialize, the UT may finally move closer to adopting a full-fledged Electric Vehicle Policy but for now, the exercise remains incomplete and the outcome uncertain”, they remarked.
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