Budget 2019: Govt's EV push casts shadow on traditional automobile sector

The incentives for EVs came even as the government increased duties on petrol and diesel

With Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lining up sops to make electric vehicles (EVs) affordable for consumers, a battle between EVs and those running on petrol and diesel seems to be taking shape. The government’s renewed focus on EVs has also cast a cloud on the planned $45-billion investment in the gas infrastructure and oil refinery sectors, even as traditional-fuel automobile players are worried too.

 R C Bhargava, chairman, Maruti Suzuki (MSIL), told Business Standard that the government was in the right direction on EVs, but he also flagged challenges. “We will have to move towards EVs. We need cleaner technology and