- 12 Sep 2024
- ICICI Securities
CABINET APPROVES PAYMENT SECURITY MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC BUSES
News: According to a press release, the Cabinet has approved the ₹3,435 crore PM-eBus Sewa-Payment Security Mechanism (PSM) scheme for procurement and operation of e-buses by Public Transport Authorities (PTAs). This scheme will support deployment of more than 38,000 electric buses (e-Buses) over FY25-29E. The scheme will support the operation of e-buses for a period of up to 12 years from the date of deployment. The PSM scheme's provision of an escrow account to ensure timely payments to bus operators can help mitigate the financial risks associated with electric bus deployments.
Views: Public Transport Authorities were placing orders for Electric Buses on Gross Cost Contract (GCC) Basis wherein OEM’s winning tenders in this space were also entrusted upon running these buses for a period of 10-12 years and receive an assured sum every month against their operations vs. outright sale of these buses at one go. This mechanism was facilitated to ease financial burden on PTA’s. However, OEMs demanded some sort of payment guarantee mechanisms considering the long operational period of these contracts as well as tepid financials of most of the PTA’s (potential payment defaults). With this present payment security mechanism, government has largely addressed this issue and it shall accelerate adoption of electric buses domestically. Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland will be the biggest beneficiary of this system.
Impact: Positive