New Delhi, May 15 -- Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged higher adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and reduced fossil fuel use amid the ongoing West Asia war, the ministry of heavy industries approved Rs.503.86 crore to set up 4,874 public EV chargers.

The approval falls under the Centre's Rs.10,900 crore PM E-Drive electric mobility scheme. It marks the first sanction for charging infrastructure under the scheme, which has earmarked Rs.2,000 crore for EV chargers and targets 72,300 units nationwide.

The move comes as EV penetration rises - about 60% of three-wheelers, 4.8% of cars and 6% of two-wheelers sold in India are now electric - but charging gaps persist.

Mint explains the subsidy mechanism and why public chargin...