Grant of Subsidy for Purchase of 'Electric Vehicles' to Consumers in State of Goa

What is the Goa electric vehicle purchase subsidy?

Grant of Subsidy for Purchase of 'Electric Vehicles' to Consumers in State of Goa is the short title of the Scheme for Promotion of Electric Vehicles in the State of Goa, notified by the Department of New and Renewable Energy, Government of Goa, and published in the Official Gazette, Series I No. 38, dated 16 December 2021 under Notification No. 1-2/Admin/NRE/21-22/177. The scheme is implemented through the Department of New and Renewable Energy and the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA).

The scheme sits inside the Goa Electric Mobility Promotion Policy-2021, notified on the same date, which is applicable for a total of 5 years from the date of its notification in the Official Gazette. The policy's stated context is that Goa has a vehicle density of 625 vehicles for every 1,000 people and ranks 15th in the world on vehicle density, and that adoption of EVs is needed to improve air quality, cut noise and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

According to GEDA, the Department of New and Renewable Energy has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited under the Ministry of Power, Government of India. CESL clubs the FAME-II incentives of the central government, the state subsidy and the OEM's contribution to bring down the upfront cost of the vehicle, and also offers low-cost loans.

How much subsidy does Goa give, and on what basis?

The state subsidy is linked to the energy content of the battery, measured in kilowatt-hours, and it steps down each financial year.

Capping of the state subsidy

Scrapping incentive

Incentive for a vehicle manufactured in Goa

• Two-wheeler: Rs 5,000
• Three-wheeler: Rs 10,000
• Four-wheeler: Rs 15,000

On top of these, the FAME-II subsidy of the central government is provided as applicable, CESL provides low-cost loans where the vehicle is purchased from CESL, and CESL provides training and capacity building to local youths in the field of servicing electric vehicles. Under paragraph 22.1 of the policy, road tax and registration fees are waived for all Battery Electric Vehicles during the period of the policy, and paragraph 22.5 provides for a green number plate for all electric vehicles registered in Goa.

Who is eligible and who is not eligible for the Goa EV subsidy?

You can claim if:

• You are a permanent resident of Goa. GEDA states that permanent residents of Goa having an Aadhaar card and a driving licence issued in Goa are entitled to the benefits under this scheme.
• You are the registered owner of the electric vehicle for which the purchase incentive is claimed.
• The vehicle is an electric two-wheeler, three-wheeler or four-wheeler purchased or converted in the State of Goa.
• For the scrapping incentive, you can produce RTO confirmation of scrapping and de-registration of the old internal combustion engine vehicle registered in Goa.

You cannot claim if:

• You are not a permanent resident of Goa.
• You are not the registered owner of the vehicle.
• You bought the vehicle directly from a dealer and are also seeking CESL's financial assistance, the scheme says that where a consumer opts to purchase directly from a dealer and avail benefits from the Government of Goa, the financial assistance from CESL will not be available.
• The retrofitting kit used for a conversion has not been approved by the Regional Transport Office.
• The vehicle-category cap has been exhausted. Disbursement is on a First Come First Serve basis, and the caps are 3,000 two-wheelers, 50 three-wheelers and 300 four-wheelers.

The Goa Electric Mobility Promotion Policy-2021 also sets performance thresholds for electric two-wheelers to qualify for demand incentives: a minimum top speed of 40 km/hr, minimum acceleration of 0.65 m/s², maximum electric energy consumption not exceeding 7 kWh per 100 km, and at least 3 years' comprehensive warranty including the battery from the manufacturer. Two-wheeler OEMs must register their eligible e-vehicle models, including swappable battery models, with the Department of Transport, Government of Goa.

How to apply for the Goa electric vehicle subsidy

The route depends on how you acquire the vehicle.

1. Decide the purchase route first. Buying through Convergence Energy Services Limited gets you a reduced upfront price, because CESL clubs the FAME-II incentive, the state subsidy and the OEM contribution, and can offer a low-cost loan. Buying directly from a dealer means you claim the state subsidy yourself afterwards and forgo CESL's financial assistance.
2. Check the model and the battery capacity. The subsidy is calculated per kilowatt-hour, so make sure the invoice states the battery capacity in kWh and that the model is one listed as eligible under FAME India Phase II, or an approved swappable-battery model where the battery is not sold with the vehicle.
3. Buy or convert the vehicle in Goa and register it with the Regional Transport Office. For a conversion, get the retrofitting kit approved by the RTO first. The incentive for conversion is subject to that approval.
4. Assemble the claim documents. The scheme requires production of documents of purchase or conversion, namely a copy of the Registration Certificate book and the insurance. Keep your Goa-issued Aadhaar card, Goa-issued driving licence, invoice and bank account details with them.
5. Submit the claim through your dealer or to the Goa Energy Development Agency under the Department of New and Renewable Energy. The Goa electric vehicle portal at goaev.in is the state's dedicated EV portal and GEDA's Electric Vehicles page carries the current scheme text.
6. Claim the scrapping incentive separately if applicable. Reimbursement of the scrapping incentive is subject to confirmation of scrapping and de-registration of the old ICE vehicle by the RTO.
7. Receive the subsidy in one instalment. The subsidy is disbursed in a single instalment to the beneficiary concerned, that is 100% on purchase or conversion of the vehicle.

What else does the policy give an EV buyer in Goa?

• Road tax and registration fee waiver for all Battery Electric Vehicles for the policy period.
• Green number plates for all electric vehicles registered in Goa, per MoRTH notification F. No. RT-11028/03/2018-MVL dated 7 August 2018.
• Charging network commitments — a charging station every 25 km on highways and every 3 km within city limits, with the state bearing electricity infrastructure cost up to Rs 8,00,000 per charging station installation, and a 20% capital subsidy for solar-powered charging stations.
• Exemption for electric goods carriers in the L5N and N1 categories from the prohibition on plying and idle parking of light goods vehicles on identified roads of Goa during specified timings.
• E-auto permits, auto-rickshaw permits linked to a de-registered ICE vehicle can be surrendered and exchanged for an e-auto permit at no additional cost.
• Skilling support. A stipend of up to 50% of the course fee, subject to Rs 10,000 per year per student, for skill development and re-skilling courses in EV maintenance affiliated to the Board of Technical Education and the State Council for Vocational Training.

What are the common reasons a subsidy claim fails?

• Cap exhausted for the category. With only 50 three-wheelers and 300 four-wheelers in the capping table and first-come-first-served disbursement, the queue matters.
• Aadhaar or driving licence issued outside Goa. GEDA's eligibility statement ties both to Goa.
• Registration in someone else's name. The purchase incentive goes to the registered owner.
• Missing RC book or insurance copy, which are the named documents of purchase or conversion.
• A conversion with an unapproved retrofitting kit.
• A scrapping claim without RTO confirmation of scrapping and de-registration.
• Assuming an older year's rate. The per-kWh subsidy steps down every financial year, so a purchase in a later year draws a lower rate.

Where do I check status or raise a grievance?

Goa Energy Development Agency publishes the scheme at geda.goa.gov.in/electric-vehicles and runs the state's Electric Vehicle Portal at goaev.in. Public grievances can be filed through the Goa Online public grievance service linked from the GEDA website. The nodal authority for implementation is the State Electric Vehicle Board, constituted with officials from the Department of New and Renewable Energy, the Department of Transport, the Goa Electricity Department and GEDA, with a High-Power Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary monitoring implementation and reviewing it every six months. Under the policy's Ease of Doing Business provisions, decisions on incentive approvals and payments through the single window system are to be provided within 90 working days, subject to due compliance of all procedures by the applicant.