Maharashtra govt urges hospitality industry to support state's EV policy

Maharashtra government has announced its dedicated EV policy a few months back, under which it aims to convert 15 per cent of its Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) fleet into zero-emission vehicles by 2025. Now, the state government has urged the hospitality industry in Maharashtra to come forward and support the government's EV policy for better implementation.

Maharashtra tourism and environment minister Aaditya Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the state's comprehensive EV Policy has been developed to fortify Maharashtra's position as a leading destination for electric vehicle manufacturing and utilisation. “With standard operating procedures (SOPs), infrastructure mandates, and incentivization, we look forward to the widespread acceptance of EV's in the state," Thackeray further said.

The minister also said that an aggressive implementation of the EV policy is critical and cannot be fully successful without help from the private sector. The minister urged the hotel industry to come forward for better implementation of the EV policy after a meeting with a hotel group that has committed to convert 100 per cent of its vehicle fleet into electric vehicles. The hotel group has also committed that it will set up EV charging stations across its portfolio hotels and commercial office spaces, reports PTI.

Maharashtra EV policy came following several other state government EV policies to promote the demand and sales of electric vehicles and also to encourage the development of a comprehensive EV ecosystem. The Maharashtra EV policy came into effect on July 23. It aims to accelerate the adoption of battery electric vehicles in the state so that EVs can contribute 10 per cent of new vehicle registrations in the state by 2025.