SRINAGAR: The Government of India has sanctioned 10,000 electric buses for deployment across 116 cities in 20 States and six Union Territories under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Replying to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha MP Phulo Devi Netam, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Jairam Gadkari said the electric buses have been sanctioned by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to promote cleaner and more sustainable public transport.
According to the state-wise details provided in Parliament, Jammu and Kashmir has been allocated 200 electric buses for two cities, while Ladakh has been sanctioned 48 buses for one city under the scheme.
Maharashtra received the highest allocation with 1,609 buses for 22 cities, followed by Rajasthan with 1,150 buses for nine cities, Andhra Pradesh with 1,050 buses for 11 cities and Madhya Pradesh with 972 buses for eight cities.
Other major allocations include Gujarat with 750 buses across eight cities, Karnataka with 750 buses across 10 cities, Haryana with 450 buses across seven cities, Punjab with 447 buses across five cities, Bihar with 400 buses across six cities and Odisha with 400 buses across five cities.
The Minister said concerns regarding financial difficulties faced by State Road Transport Corporations (SRTCs) in operating and maintaining electric buses are linked to urban transport, which falls under the domain of State Governments as part of urban planning.
However, under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, central assistance is being provided for associated infrastructure development, including 100 per cent assistance for Behind-the-Meter Power infrastructure and 60–100 per cent assistance for civil infrastructure.
The scheme also provides central assistance for bus operations for 10 years or up to March 2037, whichever is earlier. As per the scheme guidelines, any resource gap beyond central assistance, farebox revenue and non-farebox revenue is to be borne by the respective city or State.
The government informed that the scheme follows the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model under Public Private Partnership (PPP), under which the selected private operator procures, maintains and operates the buses.
The Ministry also stated that details regarding vehicles scrapped under the Voluntary Vehicle Scrapping Policy were not part of the reply provided for the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme-related question.
