In one of the biggest decisions to propel the use of electric vehicles in India’s public transport system, the “PM E-Bus Seva” scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. Under the initiative, a total of 10,000 new electric buses will be deployed across the country, a project that is estimated to cost well over Rs 57 thousand crore.

The decision was made public by Union Minister Anurag Thakur during a briefing, as he confirmed that the PM E-Bus Seva “has been given approval. Rs 57,613 crores will be spent on this. Around 10,000 new electric buses will be provided across the country.” He further added that a total of 100 cities out of 169 will be selected for the implementation of the scheme.

Thakur also explained that the PM E-Bus Seva is meant to serve the needs of current and future transportation while taking care of the environment. The scheme will serve as a big push for green mobility in India.

As per Thakur, the procurement, operation, and management of the electric buses under the PM E-Bus Seva initiative will be done through PPP mode via competitive bidding. He stated that the government will grant additional buses to states which would scrap old buses, while private players will get assistance from the government for every km in the scheme for ten years.

The PM E-Bus Seva initiative comes as a part of the Indian government’s vision to induct a total of 50,000 electric buses nationwide.