oppn parties Centre Eases Norms For Setting Up EV Charging Stations

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  • Two killed in Delhi building collapse; contractor booked. Two bodies were recovered after a building collapsed in Chawri Bazaar. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the contractor had been booked and the concerned junior and assistant engineers suspended
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  • Maaya Rajeshwaran reaches WTA-level quarter-final. The 17-year-old Indian defeated Poland's Weronika Falkowska 6-4, 6-3, becoming the first Indian woman since Sania Mirza in 2012 to reach a quarter-final at a WTA Tour-level singles event
  • Tanvi Patri reaches Youth Olympics badminton final. The 15-year-old defeated Japan's Yuzuno Watanabe in the semi-final, assuring India of a medal and becoming the first Indian badminton player to reach the girls' singles final at the Youth Olympics
  • India beat Pakistan 3-2 in SAFF Championship. India defeated Pakistan in a closely contested match, having led 3-0 before conceding two late goals. The victory was reported as a significant result for India's second-string side
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  • The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre and the Election Commission on a petition challenging Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, which grants the CEC and Election Commissioners protection from legal proceedings for acts performed in their official duties. The petition argues that such blanket immunity could leave citizens without an effective remedy for alleged wrongdoing by the Commission
  • The Supreme Court told voters whose names were deleted from Delhi's draft electoral rolls not to be apprehensive about seeking re-enrolment through Form 6, after the Election Commission assured it that such applicants would not be prosecuted merely because their names had appeared in earlier rolls
  • Congress leader Rahul Gandhi opened the party's campaign for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections with an Insaaf rally in Sangrur, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's home district, accusing the AAP government of failing to control drugs, gangster violence and corruption. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge outlined six commitments, including a drug-free Punjab, protection of farmers, employment for young people and action against corruption
  • Rahul Gandhi accused the AAP government of running Punjab through a remote control from Delhi and questioned Bhagwant Mann's ability to tackle drug abuse, making personal allegations about the Chief Minister's conduct during their time together in Parliament
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Centre Eases Norms For Setting Up EV Charging Stations

By Linus Garg
First publised on 2022-01-16 04:10:01

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Linus tackles things head-on. He takes sides in his analysis and it fits excellently with our editorial policy. No 'maybe's' and 'allegedly' for him, only things in black and white.

In order to keep up with the commitments made at COP26 to reduce the carbon footprint of the transport sector and to give a push to the conversion to electric vehicles, the power ministry today announced a slew of measures designed to make charging of EVs comfortable, easy and affordable.

In the first user-friendly measure, it allowed owners of EVs to charge their vehicles at home or office by using the existing domestic electric connection and at domestic tariffs. This will be a huge relief to people who have already switched to EVs.

Then, to encourage the setting up of charging stations for EVs, the government did away with licenses required to set up such charging stations. Now anyone can set up an EV charging station provided they comply with technical and safety standards.

The government also decided to offer land to government, public agencies and even to private entities willing to set up charging stations on revenue-sharing basis. The terms of the offer are very lucrative as government and public agencies will be offered land on a fixed payment of Re 1 per unit of electricity consumed and private entities will get land through a bidding process where Re 1 per unit of electricity consumed revenue-sharing model will be the floor.

The government has set a target of one public charging station (PCS) in a 3-sqkm grid, making PCSs as ubiquitous as puncture repair shops to do away with the biggest anxiety of EV owners. If the prices of EVs will come down in future, as they are likely to with better technology and competition, the easy access to a PCS will be major factor in people deciding to choose EVs over conventional vehicles, at least in major cities and towns. That will go a long way in reducing pollution and reducing the carbon footprint of the transport sector in India.

pic courtesy: mecromindia.com