TIWN
New Delhi, July 25 (TIWN) India's subsidies to petrol and diesel between October 2018 and June 2019 amounted to almost three times the three-year government budget for electric vehicle (EV) support, a new study revealed on Thursday.
Despite the commitment to reduce air pollution and achieve at least 30 per cent of new vehicle sales being electric by 2030, the Indian government subsidised conventional transport by Rs 26,957 crore over the last nine months, far outpacing the Rs 10,000 crore spending over three years on its flagship EV program and faster adoption and manufacturing of electric vehicles. "The cuts to fuel excise and oil company margins announced late last year resulted in a major drop in government revenue. The money would have been better spent in supporting India's ambitious agenda to adopt EVs and renewable energy rather than perpetuating dependence on petrol and diesel," IISD Associate Tara Laan said in a statement. India is heavily reliant on fossil fuels in the transport sector, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and alarming levels of air pollution. Transitioning to EVs could reduce the level of toxic air pollutants relative to conventional vehicles and shift the source of these emissions away from cities.
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