NEW DELHI, April 1 (Bernama) -- In a bid to promote electric vehicles in the
country, the Indian government Thursday announced the setting up of an apex body
-- National Council for Electric Mobility (NCEM), Press Trust of India (PTI)
reported.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet, which also cleared
another proposal to establish the National Board for Electric Mobility (NBEM).
Announcing the decisions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika
Soni said the auto industry worldwide has been moving towards eco-friendly and
alternative mode of transportation, and it is high time that India also move
towards that direction.
After the formation of National Automotive Board (NAB), it will be the
technical adviser and secretariat for both NCEM and NBEM.
However, the proposals will not involve any financial implication, Soni
added.
"The promotion and manufacturing of electric vehicles is being taken up on a
mission mode approach as ''National Mission for Electric Mobility''," she said.
Later, Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Minister Praful Patel, who
will chair the NCEM, told reporters that the aim is to create a fair capacity of
hybrids and electric vehicles in the next five years.
"The success of production or how cost can be lowered could be done
through direct or indirect subsidy," he added.
NCEM will comprise ministers from the key central government ministries and
departments, representatives from the industry and academia.
It will be aided by a 25-member NBEM, which will have a member list
consisting of secretaries of stakeholder central government ministries and
departments, people from industry and academia.
"The National Council and the Board will be serviced by NATRIP
Implementation Society (NATIS) for the time being and in future by the National
Automotive Board (NAB), which is being created," the Cabinet said.
In order to encourage manufacturing and selling of alternative fuel-based
vehicles, the government had proposed to set up a National Mission for Hybrid
and Electric Vehicles during the Budget for 2011-12.
The Budget had also proposed to cut excise duty on development and
manufacturing of hybrid vehicle kits to 5 per cent from 10 per cent earlier,
besides fully exempting customs and counter-vailing duty on import of special
hybrid parts.
-- BERNAMA
RT
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