The Punjab has thrown its hat in the ring of greening government by deciding that it will not buy any more petrol vehicles, and will only allow the purchase of electric or hybrid vehicles. This initiates a process by which it will replace its fleet in coming years, as well as create a demand for EVs and hybrids, thus giving a boost to their manufacturers. The Sindh government has also launched a similar scheme, planning to replace petrol and diesel vehicles for commissioners and DCs, as well as a ‘Pink Scooty’ scheme to give free e-scooters to working women and women students. The example of these two governments can be followed with profit by the other governments in the federation. Clearly the Punjab government is trying to avoid the dilemma the Sindh government found itself in, where it had to allocate Rs 526 million for the changeover, and manage the transition slowly, but using no extra funds.
The major advantage to the government will be the fuel savings, but this initiative should not be viewed as any sort of final goal. While savings would be welcome, the Punjab government must not hesitate in taking the next step, which is to install solar power in its offices, which mostly have extensive roofs and can easily adapt to this. An additional advantage is that government offices are almost never open at night, so there is little need to install any battery storage, which is not only expensive, but needs maintenance. There has already been some movement in this regard, as the Lahore High Court. It is true that the distribution companies might find themselves in financial difficulties because of a switchover, but it makes economic sense, quite apart from the environmental benefits. As the province taxes the citizenry, and receives money from the divisible pool of federal taxes, levied again from the citizenry, prudence by the provincial government is essential.
The Punjab government has the advantage that, l unlike private vehicle owners, it is not interested in resale value, which is one of the main barriers to EV adoption. Another barrier is the absence of charging stations. Along with the decision to buy only EVs and hybrids, the Punjab government, while issuing permits for 170 new petrol pumps, has made setting up a charging station a condition. While it will not solve the problem, it will help, particularly as 31 cities are involved.
