PM e-Bus Sewa scheme:
The Centre’s PM e-Bus Sewa scheme is gathering pace, with more than 500 electric buses now operational across 23 cities and daily ridership crossing one lakh.
- It aims to strengthen the urban transport system by deployment of air-conditioned electric buses to urban cities.
- Cities have a population ranging 3-40 lakh and state capitals including North Eastern and Hilly Regions below three lakh population as per 2011 census are eligible for the scheme.
- It is being implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
- It focuses on cities with limited public transport capacity and largely covers smaller cities including those where organised city bus services have either been absent or inadequate.
- Under this scheme, city bus operations will be done on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
- This scheme will support bus operations for 10 years.
- States/Cities shall be responsible for running the bus services and making payments to the bus operators.
- The Central Government will support these bus operations by providing subsidies to the extent specified in the proposed scheme.
- It overs development of depots, charging infrastructure, green mobility initiatives including accessible bus stops, last mile connectivity Intelligent Transit
- Management System (ITMS) and National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)-based ticketing.
