Telangana emerging as EV hub, Kishan Reddy flags off electric bus
HYDERABAD: Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday said electric mobility is not merely an alternative to petrol and diesel vehicles but a strategic pathway to energy security, pollution control, lower imports and technological self-reliance.
Flagging off the first commercial electric bus manufactured by a domestic company, Reddy said the Centre is supporting the entire electric vehicle ecosystem, including manufacturing, battery production, charging infrastructure, research and skill development.
Green power to drive EV growth
Reddy said public sector undertakings such as Coal India and NLC are expanding into solar, floating solar and pumped storage projects to ensure that the electricity powering electric vehicles comes from clean energy sources.
He said the National Critical Mineral Mission, approved with an outlay of ₹34,300 crore, would help secure supplies of lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper, which are essential for electric vehicles, solar panels, semiconductors and defence technologies.
Telangana emerging as EV and semiconductor hub
The minister said the launch of the electric bus marked another step towards clean transport, indigenous technology and green energy. The bus was handed over to an operating partner in the presence of the manufacturer’s director, Venkatesh Challa.
Reddy said Telangana is emerging as a hub for electric mobility, electronics and semiconductor design. He added that Hyderabad has attracted international chip design centres while nurturing domestic engineering talent under the Semicon India Programme.
Highlighting the country’s manufacturing growth, he said India now produces 99.2% of its smartphones domestically and is the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer. Electronics manufacturing has increased sevenfold, while exports have grown elevenfold, creating around 25 lakh jobs, he added.
