SHILLONG, Oct 19: With electric vehicles accounting for only around 2,500 of Meghalaya’s 6.53 lakh registered vehicles, the state government has rolled out a new policy offering subsidies of up to Rs 2 lakh, tax exemptions and scrappage incentives to accelerate the shift towards cleaner transport.
The Meghalaya Electric Vehicle Policy, 2026, notified for three years, replaces the 2021 policy and seeks to boost electric vehicle adoption while expanding charging and battery-swapping infrastructure across the state.
The policy offers purchase incentives on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to category-wise limits. Private electric two-wheeler buyers will be eligible for incentives on 2,000 vehicles, with another 2,000 slots earmarked for commercial users. Incentives for electric three-wheelers, including passenger autos and goods carriers, will cover 500 vehicles.
Private buyers of electric four-wheelers priced at up to Rs 35 lakh will receive Rs 25,000 each, covering 3,000 vehicles, while commercial buyers will be eligible for Rs 50,000 each for up to 3,000 vehicles. Electric two-wheelers priced at up to Rs 1.75 lakh will also qualify for incentives.
All electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers and buses registered during the policy period will be exempt from road tax and registration fees.
To encourage the replacement of older vehicles, the policy offers scrappage incentives of Rs 10,000 for two-wheelers, Rs 25,000 for three-wheelers, Rs 50,000 for private four-wheelers and Rs 2 lakh for commercial four-wheelers. The benefits will be limited to specified numbers of applicants in each category.
The government will facilitate charging stations and battery-swapping facilities in coordination with MePDCL and departments including Tourism, Urban Affairs and Public Works. Government land may be leased for public charging stations, with proposals processed through the Single Window System on the Invest Meghalaya portal.
Investors may also avail themselves of applicable benefits under UNNATI 2024 and the Meghalaya Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (MIIPP) 2024.
The Commissioner of Transport will be the nodal authority for implementation, while a state-level committee headed by the senior-most Secretary in the Transport Department will approve incentives and monitor the policy.