The Bihar cabinet on Tuesday approved the state electric vehicle (EV) policy 2023, which offers financial incentives to encourage use of EVs and development of robust charging infrastructure across the state.
The policy also aims at raising the share EVs to 15% of the total vehicles sold and registered in the state by 2028.
This was among the 23 proposals cleared by the cabinet at its meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Additional chief secretary (cabinet) S Siddharth said the policy, which envisages various incentives, including subsidies, on purchase of two-wheelers and cars, installations of charging stations and a huge reduction in registration and road tax, would remain effective for the five years since the date of its notification. “This will be besides the incentives being offered by the Central government under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric (FAME-II) scheme,” Sidharth said.
As per the policy, buyers of the first 10,000 two-wheelers in the state will be entitled to get capital subsidy of up to ₹10,000 from the government. Those belonging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (SCs/STs) will be getting up to ₹10,000 for each vehicle, while the rest can claim ₹7,500 on each purchase.
Owners of the first 10,000 electric bikes or scooters will also get rebate of 75% on motor vehicle tax till expiration of the policy. Those purchasing two-wheelers after 10,000 vehicles sold initially will be getting 50% rebate on vehicle tax on registration.
Likewise, buyers of the first 1,000 four-wheelers will qualify for capital incentives up to ₹1.50 lakh on each vehicle. Capital incentives for purchase will be lowered to ₹1.25 lakh in case the buyers belong to other than SC/ST communities. Purchasers of the first 1000 four-wheelers will also qualify for 75% rebate on the motor vehicles tax. All those purchasing the vehicles after the first 1000 cars will be getting 50% rebate on motor vehicles tax only.
Electric three-wheelers will also qualify for 50% rebate on the motor vehicle tax on purchases.
Transport secretary Sanjay Agarwal said the department had considered massive incentives on development of charging facilities for EVs. “The policy offers capital incentive of up to ₹50,000 for each slow or medium speed three-guns charging equipment at the charging stations. The incentive include 75% of the cost of equipment and ₹10,000 for installation. However, those opting for fast charging stations with two guns can claim the subsidy of up to ₹1.50 lakh per equipment,” Agarwal said, adding that this subsidies are valid for the first 300 alternative current (AC) chargers.
Those buying charging equipment based on direct current (DC) can also claim capital subsidy up to ₹1.50 lakh for each machine with two guns (charging points). However, those installing of CHAdeMo charger, which is mobile charger facility, can claim the subsidy of ₹10 lakh for each equipment, which includes ₹1 lakh installation cost.
The charging stations can be set up on government, private or leased land and the entrepreneurs will be incentivised as per different categories of land. There will be a state-level committee headed by the chief secretary to monitor implementation of the policy. Each district will also have the policy implementation committee presided over by the district magistrate.
In its bid to check deterioration in the air quality, the state government has approved the proposal to run 400 additional electric buses in six cities including Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga and Purnia under the ‘PM e-Bus Seva’ scheme. All vehicles aged more than 15 years in various government departments, boards, corporations and other wings will be disposed off by the registered vehicle scrapping facility.
IIT-Patna to set up centre of excellence in 33 polytechnic institutes
As part of the Nitish Kumar government’s Saat Nischay-2 programme, the state government has allowed the science and technology department to engage IIT-Patna as the knowledge partner for setting up centre of excellence in 33 government polytechnic institute for imparting quality training in latest emerging trades like Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, 3-D printing, robotics, industrial automation, drone technology, electric vehicles, optical fibre cables, etc. A sum of ₹122.86 crore has been sanctioned under the project for two years and ₹55.02 crore would be released this year.
Govt hospitals to get cancer drugs, consumables from TMC, Mumbai
The state cabinet has modified the health department notification issued in 2010 to allow the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Institute (HBCHRI), Muzaffarpur, to purchase cancer medicines, reagents and other consumables from the Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, which is a unit of atomic energy department, government of India. The medicines and other consumables purchased by the HBCHRI will be used in the sadar hospitals, day-care centres and palliative care centres of the hospitals being run by medical colleges. Officials said cost of medicines, reagents and other consumables will come down.
