Rs 2,000 crore allocated to establish 72,000 EV public charging stations in India

IANS May 21, 2025 241 views

The Indian government is making a bold move towards sustainable transportation with the PM E-Drive scheme. By investing Rs 2,000 crore to establish 72,000 EV charging stations, the initiative aims to create a comprehensive electric mobility ecosystem. BHEL will play a crucial role in developing a unified digital platform to support EV users nationwide. This strategic plan reflects India's commitment to reducing fossil fuel dependency and promoting green economic growth.

"India is on the path to becoming a global model for sustainable transport." - HD Kumaraswamy, Union Minister
New Delhi, May 21: With a financial outlay of Rs 2,000 crore, the PM E-Drive scheme will support the installation of approximately 72,000 EV public charging stations across the country, the government said on Wednesday.

Key Points

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- Rs 2,000 crore allocated for nationwide EV charging infrastructure

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72,000 stations planned across strategic locations

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BHEL to coordinate digital platform for EV users

These stations will be strategically deployed along 50 national highway corridors, within high-traffic destinations such as metro cities, toll plazas, railway stations, airports, fuel outlets, and state highways, the Ministry of Heavy Industries said in a statement.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries, HD Kumaraswamy, chaired a inter-ministerial coordination meeting to review and accelerate the implementation of EV charging infrastructure under the PM E-Drive scheme.

The scheme, launched under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to build a nationwide EV-ready ecosystem to enable cleaner transport and reduce India's dependency on fossil fuels.

"India is on the path to becoming a global model for sustainable transport. The PM E-Drive scheme is a transformative initiative aimed at giving our citizens access to clean, affordable, and convenient mobility options. We are not just building infrastructure; we are building the foundation for energy security and green economic growth," said Kumaraswamy.

The minister also acknowledged the integrated role of various stakeholders in the execution of this initiative. BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) is being considered as the nodal agency for demand aggregation and for the development of a unified digital super app that will serve as a single platform for EV users across India.

The app will feature real-time slot booking, payment integration, charger availability status, and progress dashboards for tracking national deployment under the PM E-Drive scheme. BHEL will also coordinate with states and ministries to compile and evaluate proposals for charger installations.

"The clean energy transition cannot succeed in silos. This meeting reflects our commitment to working as one government. Ministries, public sector enterprises, and states are all aligned to deliver results on ground. We are confident that PM E-Drive will catalyse new industries, generate green jobs, and offer seamless electric mobility to every Indian," said Kumaraswamy.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.
This is a fantastic initiative! India needs to lead the EV revolution. Just hope the charging stations are properly maintained unlike many other public infrastructure projects. Also, the super app sounds promising if it actually works seamlessly 🤞
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Priya M.
Great move but 2000 crores seems insufficient for 72,000 stations. That's less than ₹28,000 per station! How will quality be maintained? We don't want another situation like rural electrification where infrastructure was built but doesn't function properly.
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Amit S.
Finally some concrete action on EV infrastructure! The highway charging stations will be a game changer for inter-city travel. But what about battery swapping options? That could solve range anxiety faster than charging stations alone. #GreenIndia
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Sunita R.
Good initiative but implementation is key. Hope they don't just focus on metros and actually cover tier 2/3 cities equally. Also, electricity supply needs to be stable - what's the point of chargers if there's frequent power cuts? 😅
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Vikram J.
While the scheme is commendable, we must also invest in domestic battery manufacturing. Otherwise we'll just be replacing oil imports with lithium imports. Atmanirbhar Bharat should include complete EV ecosystem development.
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Neha P.
The super app is a brilliant idea! One platform for all EV needs will make adoption much easier. But please ensure it has regional language support - not everyone is comfortable with English/Hindi. Also hope the UI is simple for non-tech savvy users.

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Tags:
Electric Vehicles PM E-Drive Narendra Modi Sustainable Transport EV Charging Green Energy HD Kumaraswamy BHEL