Shimla: In a bid to tackle unemployment and promote eco-friendly initiatives, the state government of Himachal Pradesh has launched a groundbreaking scheme offering a 50 per cent subsidy on loans for unemployed individuals aged 23 and above, enabling them to purchase e-taxis and e-buses without the need for collateral guarantees.
Under the initiative, if the cost of an e-taxi amounts to Rs 20 lakh, a subsidy of Rs 10 lakh will be provided. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured that these e-taxis would be allotted to various government departments, ensuring a monthly income of around Rs 40 thousand.
The scheme, a fulfilment of a key promise outlined in the Congress Party’s Pratigya Patra, was inaugurated as part of the first phase of the Rs 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi Self-Employment Start-up Yojna. The Transport Department also introduced a dedicated website to streamline online registrations.
Sukhu emphasised that 500 permits would be issued in the initial phase, with provisions for expansion based on future demand. To apply for the scheme, eligible youth must register on the government’s portal within a month. Once approved, e-taxi permits will be linked to the startup scheme, facilitating the loan process through the Labour Department without the need for collateral guarantees.
Additionally, charging points for e-vehicles will be established at Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum petrol pumps, while Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) and the State Electricity Board are tasked with installing e-charging stations on six identified corridors.
Looking ahead, the government plans to replace the entire HRTC bus fleet with e-buses, purchasing 350 e-buses in the short term and 1,500 within three years. For these initiatives, 24 e-bus permits have already been issued, with a substantial Rs 50 lakh subsidy for each e-bus costing Rs 1 crore.
The comprehensive scheme also outlines future phases, with the second focusing on encouraging youth to establish solar energy projects and the third providing subsidies for agriculture-related and pisciculture ventures, the.
