PM E-Drive e-bus subsidy to be rolled out from March

Govt to initiate bidding process after working out demand via state, city transport utilities

- Manas Pimpalkhare

The subsidy for electric buses (e-buses) under the PM E-Drive scheme is likely to be disbursed starting March, according to two officials aware of the matter.

The Union government is working out demand for electric buses via state and city transport utilities and will then proceed with the bidding process, the officials said on the condition of anonymity.

The government has enlisted nine cities with a population of over 4 million each for the initial deployment of e-buses. These are Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Surat and Pune.

The process to roll out the subsidy is likely to begin in March after states send their demands, said the first of the two people quoted above.

"Some states including Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, among others, have given their demands, and the government will soon allot buses, but only if they agree for DDM (direct debit mandate) under PM-eBus Sewa Payment Security Mechanism (PSM) scheme. The bidding will only start after this," said the second official.