Plying e-rickshaw is legal now

Parliament on Wednesday cleared the Bill to amend Motor Vehicles Act to make plying of e-rickshaw legal in the national capital.

Union Transport Minister on Wednesday announced in the Rajya Sabha that  several proposals are being considered  to promote e-rickshaws.

He said that easy credit would be provided to help drivers to become owners of their vehicles.

He also said that that battery operated rickshaws would be manufactured indigenously.  
The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 3. The bill provides for easy licence for the battery operated vehicles.

Gadkari said that it would benefit poor and also give boost to 'Make in India' initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The vehicle was earlier being shipped in from China. The minister said that Pune-based company was now manufacturing the vehicles. It would be made in India as part of the 'Make in India' initiative.

He said that he had proposed a credit to e-rickshaw buyers at 3-4 per cent interest and hoped that the finance minister and the prime minister would consider it.

“It is a fact that man pulling man is inhuman. Nearly one crore people are doing this. This should come to a stop,” he said, adding that one crore poor people would be benefited by the move.

He also announced that women and physically challenged people will also be given licence. “Driving licence has been made a compulsory requirement. A permanent licence would be given after a year of learning,” he said.

The minister said that there would not be any condition of education for getting the licence. “It was being debated that whether a 8th standard passed person would be eligible for a licence. If not, what happens? This condition has to be thought about on a sympathetic ground," he said.