Nitin Gadkari launches ‘Go Electric’ Campaign
New Delhi, Feb 19, 2021: Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari launched the “Go Electric” Campaign to spread awareness on the benefits of e-mobility and EV Charging Infrastructure as well as electric cooking in India.
Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R. K. Singh was present on the occasion.
Gadkari while launching the nationwide campaign said that electric fuel is a major alternative for fossil fuels which have an import bill of ₹ 8 lakh Crore. When compared to conventional fuels the electric fuel has low cost, reduced emissions and it is also indigenous. He urged the Power Minister R. K. Singh to encourage value addition to Carbon Dioxide which is released from thermal power plants.
He also mentioned about the opportunities and potential of electric cooking in India. He observed that electrification of public transport is not only economical but also eco friendly. While speaking about diversification of agriculture towards the energy and power sector the Transport Minister said that the Ministry of Power should promote generation of green power from agriculture waste and biomass which can also benefit the farmers across the country.
He also said the Go Electric Campaign is an important initiative that would help in reducing the import dependence of our country in the coming years and would be an important step towards a cleaner and greener future. The campaign is aimed at creating awareness at PAN-India level and is expected to boost the confidence of Electric Vehicle manufacturers.
The launch Event also witnessed the unveiling of “Go Electric” logo which depicts the evolution of e-mobility eco-system. Audio Visual Creatives specifically designed for enhancing consumer awareness were also screened during the launch. An exhibition was organised by the industry players displaying different electric vehicles including e-buses, e-cars, 3-wheelers, and 2-wheelers apart from available charging options such as Fast Chargers and Slow Chargers.
The event was attended by delegates from State Governments, PSUs, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and other industry players from across sectors. The daylong event observed panel discussions on “Scaling up of e-mobility Infrastructure in India and Role of different Stakeholders in e-mobility”. The panel discussions were attended by industry as well as policy experts as panellists from NTPC, EESL, NITI Aayog, etc.
Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the aegis of the Ministry of Power has been mandated to undertake an awareness drive for promoting Public Charging, e-mobility & its ecosystem. To implement the ‘Go Electric’ campaign at National and State level, BEE will extend technical support to the State Designated Agencies (SDAs). As a Central Nodal Agency, BEE will provide content and details to State Designated Agencies and other partners to ensure uniformity of information.
