Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 16: The Delhi government will soon clear long-pending electric vehicle (EV) subsidy dues of about Rs 140 cr, officials said on Monday, following a Delhi High Court order directing immediate disbursal.
Transport Minister Pankaj Singh said the department will verify all applications and is developing a dedicated portal to speed up payments. The backlog, which piled up over two years, drew sharp criticism from a bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhayaya on September 3. The court noted that the 2020 Delhi EV Policy cannot be used as an excuse to delay promised incentives.
A senior official attributed the delay partly to the arrest of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in an excise policy case, which stalled cabinet meetings and the timely extension of the EV policy.
Since the policy’s launch in August 2020, over 2.19 lakh EVs—including 1.09 lakh two-wheelers and 83,724 three-wheelers—have availed tax exemptions, with Rs 177 crore disbursed until 2023. The current policy, which had lapsed in August 2023, has been extended until March 31, 2026, while a new draft undergoes public consultation.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta last month announced a committee headed by Minister Ashish Sood to draft the Electric Vehicle Policy 2.0.