SUSTAINABLE RIDES, SUSTAINABLE SMILES

Goa's E-Bike Scheme for Journalists

- Gauri Ghadge

A NEW CHAPTER IN MOBILITY

On a bright day at the Assembly Complex in Porvorim, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant set in motion a symbolic and practical initiative: handing over e-bikes to journalists under the "Subsidy to Purchase E-Bikes for Journalists" scheme for 2024-25. Alongside the twowheelers came laptops, computers, and cameras under the "Assistance for Purchase of Laptop/Camera for Journalists, 2021" scheme.

The moment was not just ceremonial. It marked a serious step in making sustainable transport accessible to one of society's most essential yet often overlooked communities, the press.

The event was graced by the Director of Information and Publicity, Shri Dipak Bandekar, and Information Officers Shri Allwyn Pereira and Shri Kiran Munankar, underscoring the institutional commitment to support journalists in tangible ways.

WHY E-BIKES, AND WHY NOW?

Across India, electric vehicles have moved from novelty to necessity. Their costeffectiveness and eco-friendliness, defined by low carbon emissions and minimal servicing needs, are reshaping the way people move.

Goa, a state already sensitive to issues of sustainability given its fragile environment, is steadily embracing the EV revolution.

Journalists, whose work involves constant travel to cover beats, stories, and assignments, often rely on personal vehicles. Rising fuel prices and environmental concerns have made e-bikes an obvious solution. The government's scheme to subsidise their purchase therefore strikes a double note: reducing the financial strain on reporters while simultaneously aligning with broader green mobility goals.

SCHEME DETAILS: FROM PAPER TO PRACTICE