Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has sought approval from the Centre for the establishment of 190 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across six major cities under the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-Drive) scheme, officials said on Wednesday.
The proposal, submitted by the State Transport Authority (STA) under the Commerce and Transport Department, has been sent to the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
According to the proposal, the charging infrastructure is planned across 190 locations in Angul, Balasore, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Kalinganagar and Puri.
A review meeting in this regard was held in Bhubaneswar in the presence of Transport Secretary N.B.S. Rajput, Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur and other senior officials.
The PM E-Drive scheme, notified in September 2024 with an outlay of ₹10,900 crore, allocates ₹2,000 crore for the development of Electric Vehicle Public Charging Stations (EVPCS).
The initiative aims to strengthen EV infrastructure by supporting both charging equipment and associated upstream systems, with a focus on addressing range anxiety and promoting EV adoption across the country.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has been designated as the Project Implementation Agency (PIA) for the development of EV public charging stations.
A joint team comprising officials from the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) and BHEL will conduct site inspections to assess feasibility before final approval and sanctioning of the proposed locations.
Once implemented, the project is expected to significantly improve charging accessibility across Odisha and support the development of a stronger electric mobility ecosystem in the region.
