2024-09-11 16:36:22
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a slew of measures to boost electric vehicles (excluding cars), rural connectivity, and hydropower generation, besides extending the Ayushman Bharat scheme to around 6 crore senior citizens over the age of 70 years. All these measures will cost over ₹1.02 lakh crore.
Commenting on the expansion of health coverage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “We are committed to ensuring accessible, affordable, and top-quality healthcare for every Indian. In this context, the Cabinet today has decided to further expand the ambit of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY to provide health coverage for all citizens above 70 years.” This scheme will ensure dignity, care, and security to 6 crore citizens, he added.
PM E-DRIVE
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said a new scheme, PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE), has been approved to promote electric vehicles in India. “This will exclude cars, but It will cover 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, ambulances (hybrid), trucks, and E-buses,” he said. Furthermore, there will be 100 per cent support for 88,500 sites to facilitate charging infrastructure. Additionally, there will be support for testing and standardisation facilities.
The scheme will have an outlay of ₹10,900 crore for a period of 2 years. A new feature of e-vouchers has been added. At the time of purchase of the EV, the scheme portal will generate an Aadhaar-authenticated e-Voucher for the buyer. A link to download the e- voucher shall be sent to the registered mobile number of the buyer. This e-voucher will be signed by the buyer and submitted to the dealer to avail of demand incentives under the scheme.
Thereafter, the e-Voucher will also be signed by the dealer and uploaded on the PM E-DRIVE portal. The signed e-voucher will be sent to the buyer and dealer via SMS. The signed e-voucher will be essential for the OEM to claim reimbursement of demand incentives under the scheme, an official statement said.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
The Cabinet approved a new phase of PMGSY with an outlay of ₹70,125 crore. Vaishnaw said that 62,500 km of roads will be built to connect 25,000 unconnected habitations. With this, all habitations with a population of 500 or less in North Eastern States and Left-Wing Extremism affected areas will have road connectivity. Forty crore human-days of employment will be generated, he said.
Hydropower
A new scheme to enable infrastructure such as roads, bridges, transmission lines, ropeways, railway sidings, and communication infrastructure has been approved to facilitate the generation of hydropower. “This will have an outlay of ₹12,461 crore and will be applicable to all projects, including pumped storage,” the Minister said, adding that assistance of ₹1 crore/MW for projects with a capacity of 200 MW capacity will be provided.
Another scheme, ‘Mission Mausam’, has been approved to create a more weather-ready and climate-smart Bharat, with an outlay of ₹2,000 crore over two years.
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2030 electric car mandate
Table of Contents
Union Cabinet Approves Sweeping Measures to Boost Electric Vehicles, Rural Connectivity, and Hydropower Generation
In a significant move, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a slew of measures to promote electric vehicles, enhance rural connectivity, and boost hydropower generation in India. These initiatives, which will cost over ₹1.02 lakh crore, are expected to have a transformative impact on the country’s economy and environment.
Ayushman Bharat Scheme Expanded to Cover 6 Crore Senior Citizens
The Cabinet has decided to expand the Ayushman Bharat scheme to provide health coverage to around 6 crore senior citizens above the age of 70 years. This move is aimed at ensuring accessible, affordable, and top-quality healthcare for every Indian. Prime Minister Modi highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating that it will ensure dignity, care, and security to 6 crore citizens.
PM E-DRIVE Scheme to Promote Electric Vehicles
The Cabinet has approved the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme to promote electric vehicles in India. This scheme, which excludes cars, will cover 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, ambulances (hybrid), trucks, and E-buses. The scheme will have an outlay of ₹10,900 crore for a period of 2 years and will provide 100 per cent support for 88,500 sites to facilitate charging infrastructure. Additionally, it will support testing and standardisation facilities.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to Enhance Rural Connectivity
The Cabinet has approved a new phase of PMGSY with an outlay of ₹70,125 crore. This initiative will build 62,500 km of roads to connect 25,000 unconnected habitations, ensuring that all habitations with a population of 500 or less in North Eastern States and Left-Wing Extremism affected areas have road connectivity. The Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, highlighted that this initiative will generate 40 crore human-days of employment.
Hydropower Generation to Get a Boost
The Cabinet has approved a new scheme to enable infrastructure such as roads, bridges, transmission lines, ropeways, railway sidings, and communication infrastructure to facilitate the generation of hydropower. This initiative will have an outlay of ₹12,461 crore and will be applicable to all projects, including pumped storage. The Minister said that assistance of ₹1 crore/MW for projects with a capacity of 200 MW capacity will be provided.
Mission Mausam to Create a Weather-Ready and Climate-Smart Bharat
The Cabinet has also approved the ‘Mission Mausam’ scheme to create a more weather-ready and climate-smart Bharat, with an outlay of ₹2,000 crore over two years.
In a separate development, the Union Cabinet has also cleared seven agricultural plans worth ₹13,966 crore, focusing on climate resilience, digital platforms, and food security [[1]][[2]]. Additionally, the Cabinet has approved three metro rail and two airports projects [[3]].
These initiatives demonstrate the government’s commitment to promoting sustainable growth, enhancing the quality of life for citizens, and creating a more resilient and climate-smart India.
What are the key initiatives included in the Union Cabinet’s approval of ₹1.02 lakh crore for electric vehicles and rural connectivity?
Union Cabinet Approves ₹1.02 Lakh Crore for Electric Vehicles, Rural Connectivity, and Ayushman Bharat Expansion
In a significant move, the Union Cabinet has approved a slew of measures to boost electric vehicles, rural connectivity, and hydropower generation, besides extending the Ayushman Bharat scheme to around 6 crore senior citizens over the age of 70 years. The total outlay for these measures is over ₹1.02 lakh crore.
Expansion of Ayushman Bharat Scheme
Prime Minister Narendra Modi commented on the expansion of health coverage, stating that the Cabinet has decided to further expand the ambit of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY to provide health coverage for all citizens above 70 years. This scheme will ensure dignity, care, and security to 6 crore citizens, he added [[3]].
PM E-DRIVE Scheme
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that a new scheme, PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE), has been approved to promote electric vehicles in India. This scheme will cover 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, ambulances (hybrid), trucks, and E-buses, and will have an outlay of ₹10,900 crore for a period of 2 years [[2]]. Additionally, there will be 100 per cent support for 88,500 sites to facilitate charging infrastructure, and support for testing and standardisation facilities.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
The Cabinet approved a new phase of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) with an outlay of ₹70,125 crore. According to Vaishnaw, 62,500 km of roads will be built to connect 25,000 unconnected habitations, and all habit
