India to launch policy to promote e-mobility, fight pollution: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the government would soon put in place a new policy to promote the use of electric vehicles in the country and fight against climate change.

"We want to build India as a driver in electric vehicles. We will soon put in place a stable policy regime around electric and other automated vehicles...Clean mobility powered by clean energy is the most powerful weapon in our fight against climate change.

This means a pollution-free clean drive, leading to clean air and better living standards for our people," he said.

"My vision for the future of mobility in India is based on 7 Cs -- common, connected, convenient, congestion-free, charged, clean, cutting-edge."

He was speaking at the 'Global Mobility Summit' here, in which a number of industry leaders, including Suzuki Motor Corporation Chairman Osamu Suzuki, participated.

Charged mobility, Modi said, was the way forward.

"We want to drive investments across the value chain from batteries to smart charging to electric vehicle manufacturing."

"India's entrepreneur manufacturers are now poised to develop and deploy break-through battery technology," he said.

The Prime Minister also said India's economy and reforms were on the move in this direction.

"Our economy is on the move. We are the world's fastest-growing major economy. Our cities and towns are on the move. We are building 100 smart cities. Our infrastructure is on the move. We are speedily building roads, airports, rail lines and ports...

"Our goods are on the move. GST has helped us rationalise supply chains and warehouse networks...our reforms are on the move. We have made India an easier place to do business. Our lives are on the move. Families are getting homes, toilets, LPG cylinders, bank accounts and loans...we are fast emerging as the start-up hub of the world."

He said mobility being a key driver of the economy, reduces the burden of travel and transportation, and can boost economic growth.

He mentioned common public transport; going beyond cars, to other vehicles -- scooters and rickshaws; vehicle pooling as key factors to check the economic and environmental costs of congestion.

New business models driven by digitisation, are reinventing the existing paradigm. Convenient mobility means safe, affordable and accessible for all sections of the society. This includes the elderly, the women and the specially abled.

"We need to ensure that public transport is preferred to private modes of travel...Hence, there should be emphasis on de-bottlenecking of networks."

"This would result in fewer traffic jams and lower levels of stress for commuters."