Government-appointed think tank NITI Aayog will be responsible for framing the policy on electric vehicles.
During a Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha-chaired meeting yesterday, it was also decided that the implementation of the EV policies will be carried out by all concerned ministries.
As per reports, the initiative will be spearheaded by a Mission Director, with NITI Aayog acting as a coordinator, reported Inc42.
The development puts an end to the long-standing dispute as to which entity should be the implementing agency of the government’s ambitious EV mission.
Commenting on the latest development, a source said on condition of anonymity, “There has to be a coordinated effort among all the ministries and departments concerned rather than trying to prove one-upmanship by any organisation. Each ministry has to do its bit.”
The meeting was reportedly convened by the Cabinet Secretary after several ministries expressed reservations against NITI Aayog being the implementing authority of India’s electric vehicle mission 2030.
In November 2017, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had said, “NITI Aayog’s role is to develop good policies and they should do that. They should not become an implementing agency. Implementation should be given to anybody deemed to be fit by the Cabinet.”
As stated by Gadkari, while the effort to bring all electric vehicle related issues under the same roof was a welcome move, the think tank should not have the power to make the final decision as to who should be implementing the government’s electric vehicle policies.
It could, however, suggest names as part of its policy recommendations. According to him, the final call was with the Cabinet.
Stating that the minister raised a total of three to four objections, a source said to Inc42at the time, “The road ministry has also objected to some other provisions of the NITI Aayog policy. These include the formation of a committee under the finance minister to prepare the road map for the policy. We have suggested that ministries which are stakeholders in the EV mission plan should be made part of this committee which at present is not there. These include ministries of heavy industries, transportation, power, etc.”
