(BJP) has written to Union Heavy Industries Minister HD Kumaraswamy urging him to allocate electric buses under the PM's e-Drive scheme to North Karnataka cities like Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Ballari and Vijayapura.While Bengaluru has rightly received 4,500 e-buses, other regions also deserve attention. These cities have growing transport needs, existing KSRTC infrastructure, and in some cases BRT systems—making them ready for an efficient e-bus rollout, Bellad, who represents Hubballi-Dharwad West in the assembly, has said in his letter. Such a move will reduce regional disparities, curb emissions, create local jobs, and boost the EV ecosystem in underserved areas. A more balanced approach to green mobility will ensure true inclusive development across Karnataka, the BJP leader has said.

Kumaraswamy had, in May, announced that Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Surat cities will get 10,900 brand new electric buses under the PM’s e-Drive Scheme over the next two years.

The PM e-Drive initiative aims to deploy 14,028 electric buses with a total financial outlay of Rs 10,900 crore over a two-year period from April 2024 to March 2026. The scheme represents one of the world’s largest national efforts to electrify public transport at scale.