New Delhi, Nov. 4 -- Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said that reducing pollution in the country will be the biggest challenge in the future.
Addressing 'EV Ecosystem Awards and the launch of Swiggy Instamart's EV Battery Swapping Network', Gadkari further said that India is trying to become self-reliant in the production of electric vehicles, as the cost of operating EVs is less than that of vehicles run on fossil fuels. "Pollution is a major problem. You know how high the pollution level is in Delhi today...in the future, reducing pollution in the country will be the biggest challenge," he said.
Gadkari also said there is a need to reduce fossil fuel imports and encourage EVs to cut the import bill of Rs 22 lakh crore and reduce pollution. "To create employment potential is the most important agenda of the government," the minister said.
Gadkari said state-owned NHAI has set a target to install 700 charging stations over the next two years and also claimed that by next year, at least 35-40 per cent of cars sold will be electric.
He said the government's aim is to make India's automobile industry number one in the world. "When I took charge as transport minister, the size of the Indian automobile industry was Rs 14 lakh crore.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.