CM: State to set up centre of excellence

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State will establish a centre of excellence to groom professionals in electric vehicle technology as part of promoting e-vehicles, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He was inaugurating the stakeholders consultation meet held here on Monday.

“The government has a vision to introduce electric vehicles, based on its agenda to control pollution. Climate change is among the reasons that led to the flood havoc. In this situation, the state has decided to implement the electric vehicle policy and plans to make the state a model,” said Vijayan.

Mentioning the electric buses of KSRTC, he said that these buses were a move to control pollution and also helped reduce the operational cost.

The government has signed an agreement with WRI India (World Resources Institute), to implement the electric vehicle policy.

Transport ministerA K Saseendran presided over the function, attended by minister for industries E P Jayarajan, PWD minister G Sudhakaran, transport department principal secretary K R Jyothilal and transport commissioner K Padmakumar.

Representatives from electric vehicle manufacturing companies, smart application and experts attend the meeting. The meeting also discussed the possibilities of unified metropolitan transport authority in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

The future of the state with electric vehicles, battery chairing eco system and financing challenges in implementation of e-mobility were among the topics presented in the meeting.