The Coalition Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the PM e-Bus Seva plan on Wednesday. Anurag Thakur, Minister of Information and Communications, shared this news during a press conference.
The PM e-Bus Seva program received a total grant of Rs 57,613 crore. In this financing provision, the central government will contribute Rs 20,000 crore, while the rest will be paid by the state governments.
This initiative is poised to reshape urban mobility, with a focus on environmental sustainability and climate change preparedness. As part of this program, a fleet of 10,000 new electric buses will soon hit the streets of 169 cities. The scope of the program includes cities with populations over three thousand, with preference given to those cities without organized bus service.
A key feature of the PM e-Bus Seva Scheme is the adoption of a public-private partnership model for supply and maintenance.
This collaborative approach ensures efficient management and optimal use of resources.
The regime's mandate is expected to last until 2037, bringing stability and permanence to the planned improvements. Furthermore, the government has pledged to support it for a decade, demonstrating its commitment to the success of the initiative.
In a parallel announcement, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, unveiled Vishwakarma Yojana as another feather on the Cabinet hat.
The scheme, with an impressive spending range of Rs 13,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore, aims to recreate livelihood opportunities for traditional craftspeople.
This group includes carpenters, masons, and goldsmiths, mainly to the benefit of those of the Other Backwards Class (OBC).
The grand debut of Vishwakarma Yojana is set to coincide with Vishwakarma Jayanti on September 17. Furthermore, the Cabinet has also approved 7 Indian Railways projects with a total cost of Rs 32,500 crore.
