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Prominent names from the domestic auto industry, such as Mahindra & Mahindra Vice-Chairman, Mr Anand Mahindra, are to be a part of the Government's new initiative to promote electric mobility in the country. This signals a growing interest towards the development electric and hybrid vehicles in the country.
Sources close to the development told Business Line that the members in the electric mobility initiative also include Dr Surinder Kapur, Chairman of auto component maker Sona Koyo, and Mr Vikram Kirloskar, Vice-Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motors. The Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission and the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister will also be a part of it.
Administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the Government's ‘National Mission for Electric Mobility' aims to have an Inter-Ministerial Council of 18 members and a secretary-level Board of 25 members. The first meeting of both the Council and the Board is to take place this July. To assess the exact nature of work required, the Ministry (through auto industry body SIAM) has also commissioned Booz-Allen for a report on the sector at a cost of Rs 90 lakh.
Announced formally by the Finance Minister in the Budget speech in February, the proposal received Cabinet nod by end-March. The purpose is to promote research in the area through partnership of the industry, research bodies and the Government, promote manufacturing and create infrastructure to support electric mobility. The funding will be received from all the Ministries.
Other members
Out of the members of the Council, 12 have been nominated by the various other Ministries such as Power, Urban Development, Road Transport and Highways and Finance. The remaining six in the Council includes five representatives from the industry and academia, such as Mr Mahindra, Dr Kapur, Mr V.K. Saraswat, DG, DRDO. The Council will be headed by the Heavy Industries Minister, Mr Praful Patel.
Another five members from the industry-academia will be a part of the 25-member Board, such as Mr Kirloskar, Mr Chetan Maini, the man behind Reva – India's only electric carmaker and Dr Arun Jaura, V-P at Eaton India. Mr S Sundareshan, Secretary, Heavy Industries, and Joint Secretary, Mr Ambuj Sharma, will head this.
The Board, which will oversee the projects under the mission before seeking approval from the Council, will also have the Presidents of auto industry body SIAM, auto component association ACMA and association of electric vehicle manufacturers SMEV.
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