SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has notified the Jammu Kashmir Electric Vehicle Policy-2026, setting a six-year framework to expand electric mobility across the Union Territory and targeting 1.40 lakh electric vehicles by 2032.
The policy, covering 2026-32, was approved by the Council of Ministers chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. It focuses on increasing EV adoption, expanding charging infrastructure and developing an ecosystem suited to Jammu and Kashmir’s terrain and climatic conditions.
Under the infrastructure plan, the government has envisaged 900 public charging sites across all 20 districts, including 140 fast-charging hubs along urban grids and highway corridors.
The policy also provides for EV-ready parking, with building bye-laws requiring 20 per cent of parking capacity to be equipped for electric vehicles.
Given the region’s cold and snowy conditions, the policy introduces a Specialised Winter Validation Protocol under which EVs will undergo performance validation for operation in snow and sub-zero temperatures.
It also provides for the integration of EV charging demand with the power system, alongside greater private-sector participation and public-private partnerships.
To encourage purchases, the policy provides interest subvention of 3-5 per cent on EV loans for up to 36 months, subject to eligibility conditions. It also includes scrappage-linked incentives backed by an annual budgetary provision of Rs 50 crore for replacing older vehicles with electric ones.
The policy provides additional incentives for the first 15,800 eligible adopters. These include Rs 15 lakh for the first 300 e-buses, Rs 1 lakh for the first 1,500 personal cars and Rs 5,000 for the first 10,000 two-wheelers, subject to the prescribed conditions.
The government has also proposed phase-wise electrification of vehicle fleets, expansion of charging networks and skill-development measures aimed at creating trained manpower and employment opportunities in the EV sector.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulated Transport Minister Satish Sharma and the Transport Department following the notification of the policy.
Abdullah said the framework would support cleaner transport while taking into account Jammu and Kashmir’s specific terrain and cold-weather conditions.
The notification formally sets out the government’s six-year strategy for increasing electric vehicle adoption, developing supporting infrastructure and expanding opportunities in the electric mobility sector.
