Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Sept 6: Subsidies have significantly boosted the sale of electric vehicles (EVs) in Odisha, according to Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena. In a written statement to the state Assembly, Jena reported that EV sales have surged since the introduction of subsidies on September 1, 2021. To date, Rs 154.27 crore in subsidies have been provided to EV owners since the 2022-23 financial year.
During the 2022-23 period, Rs 8.83 crore in subsidies were distributed, with 14,182 EVs registered. This amount increased to Rs 57.21 crore in the 2023-24 period, coinciding with the registration of 36,518 EVs. By August 2024, the Odisha government had already allocated subsidies for 38,766 EVs.
Currently, a maximum subsidy of Rs 20,000 is available for each two-wheeler (Rs 5,000 per kilowatt hour) and Rs 30,000 for electric-operated three-wheelers, Jena noted.
The statement came on the same day that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari remarked that the rising demand for EVs has led to lower costs, suggesting that further financial incentives may no longer be necessary. “Consumers are increasingly choosing electric and CNG vehicles on their own, and I believe substantial subsidies for electric vehicles are no longer required,” said Gadkari, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways.
