New Delhi has sanctioned 40 charging stations in Meghalaya to encourage people to buy electric vehicles.

Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced on Friday that permission has been granted for setting up of 2,636 charging stations in 62 cities across India.

The charging stations would be set up under the FAME India scheme to encourage manufacturers to launch new electric vehicle models, Javadekar said.

While Meghalaya will have 40 charging stations, Sikkim will get 29 and only 20 stations would be set up in Assam.

The announcement is a piece of great news for people of Meghalaya in the New Year.

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While Meghalaya is one of the most beautiful states in India, encouragement for buying electric vehicles will help in maintaining the excellent air quality in Shillong and the other towns.

Unfortunately, five other states of northeast – Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura did not get any charging stations under the Fame India Scheme.

The Department of Heavy Industry had invited the expressions of interest for availing incentives under the FAME India Scheme.

A total of 106 proposals from public/private companies for about 7,000 EV charging stations were received.

After evaluation of the proposals, the government sanctioned 2,636 charging stations to 62 cities submitted by 19 public entities for 24 states, the minister said.

The government plans to set up charging stations in most of the selected cities in a grid of 4 km x 4 km.

“It will encourage the OEMs to launch the new electric vehicle models which they were hesitant because of lack of charging infrastructure,” the minister said.

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Out of these 2,636 charging stations, 1,633 will have fast charging options, while remaining 1,003 will have slow charging facilities.

About 14,000 chargers will be installed across the selected cities, the minister claimed.

Sanction letters to the selected companies will be issued in phases after ensuring availability of land for charging stations, signing of necessary agreements/MoUs with partner organisations.