Goa EV Subsidy Scheme Put On Hold: Report

Due to a financial crunch, subsidies on electric vehicles provided by the government of Goa have been delayed, according to a report by The Goan Everyday. The subsidy was applicable on to two-, three- and four-wheeler buyers. 

The delay in the provision of subsidies is because of the non-release of funds by the Finance Department. Around 20 applications are pending with the accounts department for around three months now. This was also confirmed by Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Sudin Dhavalikar. Once the applications are cleared, the subsidies will be released. 

The government of Goa relaunched the EV subsidy scheme in February this year, providing benefits between ₹8,000 and 1 lakh. This subsidy was to be provided to EV retrofitters as well as buyers who were scrapping and de-registering their old internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and buying new EVs. Restricted to 5,600 EVs, the assistance was to be extended to vehicles purchased between August 1, 2022 and December 31, 2024. 

As per sources, close to 1,300 applications were filed with the Department of New and Renewable Energy under the scheme. Majority of these applications were from buyers who purchased the vehicles post July 31, 2022, once the previous subsidy scheme was discontinued. The new scheme had a provision of ₹25 crore was made in the state budget for this scheme. 

Sources said, “In the first phase we are clearing old applications. Many of the beneficiaries got their share of payment somewhere in May-June; however, post that the applications sent to the Accounts Department are yet to be cleared as the Finance Department has not given green signal.”

Beneficiaries who purchased the vehicles prior to this notification had to submit an application online within 90 days of the notification. Buyers of new vehicles, once the subsidy was announced, had to file the application within 120 days of the date of purchase. 

Two-wheeler buyers will get benefits of ₹8,000 - 15,000 and three-wheeler buyers will get a subsidy of ₹8,000 - 60,000. Whereas, four-wheeler buyers will get benefits of ₹8,000 - 1 lakh.