Niti Aayog's direction to auto industries to switch to EVs by 2025 impractical: WB Fin Minister

West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Wednesday termed as "impractical" and "draconian," the Niti Aayog's direction to the automobile industries to switch to Electric Vehicles by the year 2025.

"No country has yet introduced EVs with an idea of completely banning fossil fuel vehicles. However, Niti Aayog which is a mere think tank, without statutory or financial powers, directed the auto industries to switch to electric vehicles by 2025, which is impractical and in a way draconian," Mitra's letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman read.

Mitra also said that more than three crore people are associated with the auto industry and the industry had pumped in more than Rs 1.7 lakh crores to switch to BS-VI norms and as such, this would lead to a big loss.

"Nearly Rs 1.7 lakh crore has been invested by the automobile industry to upgrade technology to achieve better emission standards of BS-VI... We must remember that the automotive sector employs about 3.07 crore people directly and indirectly," Sitharaman said.

Citing further problems with the decision to switch to EVs, he added, "Absence of charging infrastructure on roads and highways. Too expensive for consumers and difficulties in repair and maintenance. The high cost of lithium-ion batteries and dependence on import of the same.