Panaji, (Samajweekly) You may soon be able to scrap your existing petrol-guzzling two-wheeler and opt for an e-bike at a subsidised cost, according to Goa’s Power Minister Nilesh Cabral, who on Thursday said the state government was working on green power policy to enable bike-swapping.
Speaking to reporters here, Cabral also said the Goa government was in touch with Hero Motors, for procurement of 10,000 to 15,000 e-bikes in the coming year, which would be offered at subsidised rates to existing owners of petrol-based bikes, provided they formally scrap the latter.
“We are working on the model. Existing bikes can be scrapped. Hero (Motors) is also interested in tying up with us. We are looking at 10,000 to 15,000 electrical bikes in a year,” Cabral told reporters, adding the Goa government was in the process of setting up charging stations throughout the state to facilitate the gradual switch from vehicles which work on fossil fuels to e-bikes.
The Power Minister also said that while the price range of e-vehicles was still relatively out of reach for the common man, the Goa government was working on a subsidy package which would bunch together subsidies offered by the state and Central governments as well as the vehicle dealer’s discount to eventually offer the vehicle at cheaper prices to consumers, willing to swap their e-bikes.
Cabral also said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant would himself switch his official car to an e-vehicle for some days to gauge the feasibility of such vehicles.
“The Goa government has a fleet of around 550 cars, if we switch them to e-vehicles, the costing will decrease,” Cabral said.
Cabral also said that discussions were also on, with the central government over gradually roping in e-technology for the commercial transport sector which includes auto rickshaws, taxis, goods carriers, etc.
