CS Nov 2021 | Page 9

operators , wage earners lost their livelihood due to covid-19 pandemic . The rise in the prices of petrol and diesel aggravates this problem further . Still the “ pro-corporate , anti-people ” policies of the government imposes more and more taxes on the people who earn their livelihood from driving vehicles . Despite people ’ s resistance and protest , another intention of the government to raise taxes on oil , is to encourage and incentivise shift to electric vehicles . All this is under the direction of imperialist forces .

Measures To Encourage Electric Vehicles

The government initiated the scheme of Faster Adoption and Manufacture of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles-2 in 2019 and extended it till 31st March 2024 . Under this scheme , an amount of Rs . 871 crores are allocated in June 2021 for Electric Vehicles . Further , it has sanctioned 6,265 Electric Buses to run in various states and cities and decided to give encouragement to 87,659 Electric Vehicles . Moreover , the target is to enhance Indian Electric Vehicle market to the extent of Rs . 50,000 crores . The efforts to shift to Electric Vehicles has intensified in view of the middle class and growing youth population . For this , the goal is to attract 25.85 billion US dollars . Further , the Advanced Chemistry Cell is started with Rs . 18,000 crores for the use of Electric Vehicles . The Delhi government has established 100 units for the purpose of charging of Electric Vehicles in 2020-21 . Car companies have made investments to the tune of Rs . 25,045 crores during Jan-July 2021 for E-Vehicles . Mahindra and Mahindra company is implementing a 3 year investment plan with Rs . 3000 crore starting April 2021 . It is estimated that as high as Rs . 12.5 trillion are necessary by 2030 to achieve our Electric Vehicle goal . All these hurried measures and huge amount of investments are not at all useful and beneficial to the oppressed class .

The government which took all the relevant measures to achieve November - 2021 industrial development centred around automobile sector by stating that it is the indicator of development and did not care the foreign exchange crisis due to oil import , now argues that the present automobile sector is the cause for the problem of climate change . Therefore , it is necessary to shift to Electric Vehicles . Thus , again finding solutions in the continuation of distorted industrial structures is for the purpose of profits of monopoly capital . Monetisation of Infrastructure Assets

The primary assets identified in this program are Roads and Electricity where both are connected to automobile sector . Broad Highways are necessary for smooth running of luxury cars . Therefore , the government constructs Highways , transforms them into brownfield infrastructure and then leases them to Monopoly capital to allow them to collect toll fee . Further , the shift to electric vehicles will raise the electricity requirement . So , it is proposed to lease the remaining public electricity projects to Monopoly capital . Arrangements are made to give land for lease to Electricity recharge stations . On the other , it is a fact that already many villages and farmers are suffering for want of electricity . The conversion to Electricity vehicles will aggravate the Power Crisis . In places where agriculture is closely linked to electricity , it will be destroyed .

Real Goals of Imperialist Forces

It was directed to use CNG gas instead of oil for some time . In order to increase the sale of diesel vehicles , for a long time diesel prices are kept low compared to petrol prices . Later on , the use of diesel vehicles was discouraged by raising the prices of their spare parts and by controlling the marketing of old vehicles and their servicing centres . Also , the price difference between petrol and diesel was reduced . Thus , compulsory conditions are created to purchase petrol vehicles . Now , conditions are created for substituting with Electric Vehicles for upper middle class and petrol vehicles for travelling to distant places . Similarly , electric vehicles to go to work places but diesel vehicles for transporting goods . Thus , there is continuous encouragement for the purchase of vehicles so as to extract the entire savings of people to convert them into profits of monopoly capital . There is another serious disruption owing to the shift to Electric Vehicles . Petrol / diesel vehicles uses combustion engines , the spare parts , production , repairs and replacement provides employment to millions of workers . All of them will be displaced due to the replacement with electric vehicles . Thus , the transition is destructive especially in view of growing economic inequalities , rising unemployment and poverty . As US car companies have decided to produce Electric Vehicles , our comprador bourgeoisie government is formulating policies to encourage and implement it .

Conclusion

Transportation system is not a substitute but a primary need of the people . The Automobile sector is popularized as a synonym to development only for the purpose of profits of monopoly capital . This development is not connected to the real lives of people . Moreover , it is harmful to environment also . Therefore , all the issues linked to the development of automobile sector , Highways , privatisation and leasing of Electricity projects should be resisted and protested . This warrants the consolidation of oppressed class to fight against it . There is no alternative for people ’ s strong movements . �

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