No buyers for PM’s e-rickshaws

New Delhi: The e-rickshaws distributed by PM Modi under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana seems to have no takers in Noida and Ghaziabad. BMC, the Lucknow based microfinance company, which had financed these e-rickshaws has failed to get new buyers for Ghaziabad and Noida. As e-rickshaws are available cheaper, neither the new buyers nor those who already own a vehicle have shown interest in the scheme.

Nearly 2,000 battery-operated rickshaws are gathering dust at the NIB (National Institute of Biologicals) ground in Sector 62 Noida. The Mudra scheme refinances loans of up to Rs 10 lakh given by lending institutions to small borrowers for non-farm income-generating activities. Noida road inspector Mahesh Sharma said 352 licences have been issued so far to e-rickshaw drivers but not even a single vehicle has been registered or issued route permit to date.

Modi had distributed a total 5,100 e-rickshaws, of which a thousand each were meant for Noida and Ghaziabad. The rickshaws were linked to the Ola app and expected to offer online payment facility to customers. The distribution was aimed at empowering Dalits and women.