SHILLONG, JUL 27: Meghalaya is shifting gears. The state Cabinet on Monday approved the Meghalaya Electric Vehicle Policy 2026, rolling out a Rs 25,000 incentive and complete waiver of registration fees to make electric vehicles more affordable and accessible.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
Briefing the media, Cabinet Minister Marcuise N Marak said the move is aimed at encouraging residents to shift to cleaner modes of transport.
“To promote electric vehicles, the Cabinet has approved an incentive of approximately Rs 25,000 for purchasers. Along with this, registration charges will be waived entirely. So anyone buying an EV will get the Rs 25,000 benefit plus free registration,” Marak said.
He added that the state already has over 5,000 electric vehicles on the road, and the new incentives are expected to push that number higher.
The policy will apply to two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers, with incentive structures tailored to each segment.
On infrastructure, the minister said the government does not see charging stations as a bottleneck.
“Charging points can come up anywhere. For commercial stations, we have already identified locations where they will be set up,” he said.
The Cabinet also discussed the state’s vehicle scrappage policy, notified last year. Under the plan, owners who scrap vehicles older than 15 years and use the certificate to purchase a new EV will qualify for an additional incentive. The exact amount is yet to be decided.
Citing Assam as an example, Marak said neighbouring states have moved faster on scrappage.
“In Assam, scrappage stations are already operational. Here the policy is new, so adoption is still picking up. Once you scrap an old vehicle and get a certificate, you can submit it to the DTO and claim the incentive,” he explained.
Meghalaya currently does not have any scrappage facilities. The government said it will support private entrepreneurs willing to invest in setting up such stations.
“The policy framework is ready. We will be happy to assist any entrepreneur who wants to establish a scrappage station in the state,” Marak added.
