Delhi govt to hire only electric vehicles for its staff and officers.

The Delhi government has decided to lease or hire only electric vehicles for its staff and officers in order to promote its EV policy and encourage people to adopt greener vehicles.
Automobiles that fall into the category of "special purpose vehicles" and are not covered by the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy, such as ambulances, fire engines, and law enforcement vehicles, have been exempted from the finance department's new set of guidelines for hiring and leasing cars for employees.

Because electric vehicles are expensive and there are few options on the market, the Delhi government will continue to buy petrol, diesel, and CNG-powered vehicles for its officers. While the new policy encourages the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, it does not require the government to purchase only electric vehicles for its ministers and bureaucrats. Interestingly, the Delhi government has recently purchased electric vehicles for all of its ministers.

All leased/hired cars used for commuting by GNCTD officers must be converted to electric by 2020, according to the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy. Following the purchase of expensive electric vehicles by a few departments without prior approval from the finance department last year, a three-member committee comprised of top bureaucrats was formed, and its report on the government's approach to adopting electric vehicles for its officers and staff was submitted last month. The finance department has come up with new guidelines based on the report.

"All leased or hired cars used for the commute of Delhi government officers shall be electric," the government memorandum stated. "Departments and autonomous bodies will decide the type of hiring at their own level based on resources available to them."

The EVs, like the existing fleet of gasoline, diesel, and CNG vehicles, will need to be GPS-enabled.

According to an official, the transport department has been designated as the nodal department for monitoring the progress of the transition of the existing hired and leased vehicle fleet to electric vehicles in order to ensure that it is completed on time and in accordance with the Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy, 2020.

The share of electric vehicles in new vehicle registrations was 1.2 per cent when the Delhi government launched its ambitious EV policy in August 2020, but it jumped to 10.7 per cent in February 2022, making the city the EV Capital of India. In addition, the Delhi government is working feverishly to develop charging infrastructure in the city.