Hyderabad: In a fresh push to accelerate electric mobility, the Telangana govt has announced special incentives for its employees, including 10–20% discounts on electric vehicles offered by leading manufacturers. The initiative aims to position govt staff as early adopters and brand ambassadors for EV usage in the state.The programme was formally launched at the secretariat by transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar, along with chief secretary Ramkrishna Rao and DGP Shivadhar Reddy.The minister said companies such as Mahindra Electric, Ather Energy, Gravton Motors and Ola Electric have come forward to extend discounts to govt employees. The move is part of the state’s broader EV policy aimed at reducing pollution and promoting sustainable transport. The government has already waived 100% road tax and registration charges for EVs. Since the policy’s rollout, over 1.15 lakh electric vehicles have been registered, with the state foregoing revenue of approximately Rs 925.94 crore to support adoption, he added.According to Prabhakar, EV usage in Telangana has risen from 0.6% to 1.5% after the introduction of the policy. The govt is also working to expand charging infrastructure across urban and rural areas to ensure seamless adoption. Plans are underway to deploy more electric buses and encourage retrofitting of diesel autos into electric vehicles.The chief secretary said the govt is targeting large-scale electrification of urban transport, including a 2,000-km clean mobility network under the CURE initiative. With nearly 30% of the state’s population concentrated in Hyderabad, officials stressed the urgency of tackling air pollution through cleaner transport alternatives.The govt has also directed departments to prioritise electric vehicles for official use, either through direct procurement or hiring models. In addition, reforms in the transport department, including vehicle scrappage for those older than 15 years and integration with Vahan portal and Sarathi portal, are expected to streamline processes and support the transition.Officials said Telangana is positioning itself among global leaders like Norway and China in electric mobility adoption, as it intensifies efforts to build a cleaner and more sustainable transport ecosystem.
