Bhubaneswar: The Centre has approved a grant of more than Rs 40.50 crore for Odisha under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption and expand the state’s public charging infrastructure.
Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said Odisha recorded the highest EV market share in the country at 17% in June, adding that the state would receive more than Rs 40.50 crore under the central scheme, The New Indian Express reported.
The State Transport Authority (STA) has been designated as the nodal agency for implementing the programme. The Ministry of Heavy Industries approved the financial assistance based on the proposal submitted by the STA.
In the first phase, the state will establish 170 public EV charging stations equipped with 688 charging points and four battery-swapping stations across six cities—Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Angul, Jajpur and Balasore.
According to STA officials, the charging facilities will be installed at government offices, major roads, public parking areas, railway stations, hospitals, educational institutions and police stations to improve charging accessibility for EV users.
Under the PM E-DRIVE guidelines, central financial assistance covers both upstream electrical infrastructure and EV supply equipment. The STA will be responsible for installing and operating the charging stations while ensuring compliance with operational standards and integration with the national unified data platform developed by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Separately, the Odisha government is also expanding its charging infrastructure through the Commerce and Transport Department, the STA and the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC).
Officials said the state plans to set up more than 500 EV charging stations in the first phase at major urban centres, bus terminals, truck terminals and other key transport hubs to create a comprehensive charging network and support the growing adoption of electric vehicles.
