PM-eBus Sewa Scheme Overview

Context:

The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister recently said that the Ministry has floated tenders for procuring buses under the PM-eBus Sewa scheme.

Relevance:

GS II: Government policies and Interventions

Dimensions of the Article:

1. PM-eBus Sewa Scheme Overview

PM-eBus Sewa Scheme Overview:

Objective:

• Deploy 10,000 e-buses in cities nationwide to accelerate the adoption of electric buses in public transportation.

Operation Model:

• City bus operations managed through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• Bus services supported for 10 years, with states/cities responsible for operations and payments to operators.

Financial Support:

• Central government allocates Rs 57,613 crore for the scheme.
• Central contribution: Rs 20,000 crore, with states covering the remaining portion.

Coverage:

• Targets cities with populations of 300,000 and above, encompassing capital cities of Union Territories, North Eastern Region, and Hill States.

Scheme Segments:

Augmenting City Bus Services and Associated Infrastructure:

• Extends Central Assistance (CA) for 10,000 electric buses, bus depots, and behind-the-meter power infrastructure on a PPP model.

Green Urban Mobility Initiatives (GUMI):

• Supports GUMI projects to complement bus services and demonstrate reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in urban areas.
• Includes backing for National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)-based Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS), bus priority infrastructure, etc.

-Source: The Hindu