'India to be hub of electric vehicle production'

India is to be made a hub of electric vehicle production, said Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of Heavy Industries during question hour in Rajya Sabha.

New Delhi:While fuel prices have witnessed an uptick, queries on electric vehicles came up in Parliament. India is to be made a hub of electric vehicle production, said Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of Heavy Industries during question hour in Rajya Sabha.

M. Thambi Durai, Rajya Sabha MP, raised the question on schemes for developing electric vehicle manufacturing centres. Dr Mahendra said that the goal is to make India a hub for production. Companies like Ola and others have initiated it and over one lakh bookings have been already made. It would naturally generate employment, people and the government would benefit from it.

When Alphons Kannamthanam (BJP MP) asked about the roadmap for charging stations, Dr Mahendra replied that the Centre has been pressing on it through Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicle (FAME) projects. Many charging stations have been set up in Chandigarh and Delhi.

Electric buses have been given incentives under FAME I and FAME II projects. Along with reducing petrol expenditure, Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision would be made real through the initiative, said Mahendra. He was responding to Dr Ashok Bajpal, (BJP) MP's question on foreign spending for e-vehicle production.

Meanwhile, Opposition parties created ruckus, continued sloganeering. Opposition parties have been pressing on Pegasus row, farm laws, Covid crisis since the commencement of the Monsoon Session.