Union Heavy Industries and Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy announced during a conference in Bengaluru that the government has approved 4,874 electric vehicle chargers with an investment of Rs 503.86 crore under the PM e-Drive scheme. The approval is part of the Centre’s broader initiative to strengthen EV charging infrastructure and accelerate the adoption of electric mobility across India.
Of the approved proposals, Karnataka has received approval for 1,243 EV charging stations under the scheme. The approved projects include proposals from several states including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as well as from public sector oil companies such as HPCL, Indian Oil Corporation and BPCL.
The announcement was made during the Heavy Industries Ministry’s conference on the theme “Enabling Nationwide EV Charging Infrastructure under PM e-Drive Scheme.” Kumaraswamy said ₹2,000 crore has been specifically allocated for charging infrastructure under the larger PM e-Drive scheme, with a total outlay of ₹10,900 crore. He stressed that a strong charging network is essential to accelerate EV adoption across two-wheelers, three-wheelers, buses, trucks and passenger vehicles.
The minister also informed that the government is developing a unified EV charging platform named Unified Bharat eCharge. The platform aims to allow users to locate charging stations, access the network and make payments through a single application, similar to the convenience offered by UPI in digital payments. The Ministry of Heavy Industries is working closely with the Ministry of Power, State Governments and industry stakeholders to ensure standardization of charging infrastructure, grid readiness and digital integration.
Highlighting the government’s focus on domestic manufacturing, Kumaraswamy pointed to several production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes to support the EV ecosystem. These include the ₹18,100 crore PLI scheme for advanced chemistry cell manufacturing, the ₹25,938 crore PLI-Auto scheme for EVs, hydrogen-powered vehicles and auto components, as well as the recently launched ₹7,280 crore initiative for rare earth permanent magnets aimed at promoting self-reliance.
According to the minister, India’s automotive industry contributes more than 7% to the country’s GDP and almost half of the manufacturing GDP. He also acknowledged the role of oil marketing companies and private charging operators in expanding India’s EV charging ecosystem. Under the FAME-II scheme, 8,932 EV chargers have already been installed with government support of ₹873.5 crore, including 721 chargers in Karnataka.
Kumaraswamy said Bengaluru has emerged as one of India’s leading EV charging hubs and urged other states to accelerate the deployment of charging infrastructure as the country works towards reducing fossil fuel dependence and strengthening energy security.
