CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is coming out with its own vehicle scrappage policy which will not thrust upon people to adopt electric vehicles and would be a role model for the country, Industries Minister TRB Rajaa said on the sidelines of India EV conclave here on Tuesday.
The minister said the policy, which is in the discussion stage, will be inclusive and would cater to all categories of people by offering subsidies to the poor to join the green energy transition. He was replying to a query on what will be the cut-off date to phase out vehicles.
This comes as the Centre has come out with a policy which states that private vehicles that are older than 20 years will be deregistered from June, 1, 2024. It will happen only when they have failed the test or the registration certificate has not been issued.
Earlier, speaking at the conclave, Rajaa highlighted the need to build charging infrastructure across the state to help the transition to electric vehicles. He said a major announcement will be made during the Global Investors Meet to be held in January. Though the minister did not give a number, he said the state is vying to be number one in this regard.
He said the EV sector in Tamil Nadu offered multiple benefits - lesser dependence on fossil fuels, increased investments with an estimated `50,000 crore investments by 2025, generation of about 1.5 lakh jobs and contribution to sustainable development goals. Women in rural areas around EV clusters would benefit a lot through employment generation opportunities, the minister added.
The minister also said that the state will strive to inculcate ‘climate common sense’ into the Tamil Nadu public’s mind urging them to be sensitive to this vital cause. “Here in Tamil Nadu, the government is inculcating a ‘climate common sense’ into our people. It is an inherent understanding as to what is good for the environment and what is not. It reflects a practical and informed approach to addressing climate change that is based on a shared understanding of scientific evidence and the need for collective, responsible action.”
“In Tamil Nadu, we are taking steps to achieve this in a systematic manner. We are reforming our school and college curriculums to create climate consciousness. Our youth are leading the way in climate action, and we are enabling them. We even had climate lessons for our legislators,” the minister said. Tamil Nadu is among the few states with a future-ready EV policy, he added.
Dr J Jeyaranjan, vice-chairperson of State Planning Commission, said the state’s energy and transport departments should work towards EV transition in a systematic manner. “Tangedco should expedite the development of robust charging infrastructure. This involves establishing a comprehensive network of charging stations across Tamil Nadu to alleviate range anxiety and promote EV adoption,” he said. The India EV Conclave was held in partnership with the TN government ahead of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet.