Punjab Launches Rs100,000 Incentive for Citizens Switching to Electric Motorbikes

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: The Punjab government has introduced a major financial incentive under the Chief Minister’s Green Credit Programme, offering up to Rs100,000 to citizens who switch from petrol to electric motorbikes, as part of its broader effort to cut carbon emissions and promote eco-friendly transport.

Programme head Rizwana Anjum announced that individuals who purchase new electric bikes and register through the Green Credit Programme web portal will be eligible for a green credit reward of up to Rs100,000.

Under the current fiscal year’s target, the government aims to replace 2,000 petrol motorbikes and 250 other vehicles with electric alternatives. This transition is expected to cut down 8,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, contributing to the province’s long-term objective of reducing transport-related emissions by 20% by 2030. The broader vision is to shift 30% of Punjab’s transport fleet to electric vehicles in line with Pakistan’s international climate commitments.

Anjum shared that the programme encompasses 35 citizen-led initiatives that reward individuals for taking environmentally sustainable actions. These include various everyday practices that help reduce the carbon footprint.

“To meet our global climate commitments, 30% of the transport sector must move to electric vehicles by 2030,” she stated. “This initiative encourages petrol bike users to transition to electric motorcycles through attractive incentives.”

How to Apply:
Citizens who have purchased an electric bike after December 2024 can register on the programme’s official portal. Applicants must submit details including:

• Bike purchase date
• Company and model
• Registration number and chassis number
• Copy of the registration book
• Photographs of the vehicle

A verification visit by a programme representative will follow. Once verified, beneficiaries will receive an initial payment of Rs50,000.

To receive the second Rs50,000 installment, applicants must link their electric bike to the Green Credit mobile app and log 6,000 kilometers of travel within six months of registration.

Officials from the Punjab Environment Protection Agency (EPA) clarified that the scheme does not apply to retrofitted petrol bikes. Only newly purchased electric motorcycles registered through the programme will qualify for the full incentive.

The initiative represents a significant step in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in Punjab and empowering citizens to take an active role in combating climate change.