Keto Motors Launches First Commercial Electric Bus; Kishan Reddy Hails Milestone
Hyderabad, Aug 2 (TNT) : Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday hailed the launch of Keto Motors’ first commercial electric bus as another milestone in India’s journey towards clean mobility, indigenous technology and green energy.
The Minister handed over the company’s first 9-metre commercial electric bus, designed to meet urban transportation requirements, to its operating partner and congratulated the engineers, management and employees involved in its development.
Speaking on the occasion, Kishan Reddy said the launch reflected India’s rapid transformation in manufacturing, technology, innovation and clean energy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said the country had evolved from depending on foreign technologies to becoming self-reliant in critical sectors, citing the successful development of indigenous COVID-19 vaccines and the growing capabilities of the domestic automobile industry.
Describing electric mobility as a key component of India’s development strategy, the Union Minister said it would strengthen energy security, reduce pollution, lower import dependence and promote technological self-reliance.
He said the Centre was supporting the entire electric vehicle ecosystem, including vehicle manufacturing, battery production, charging infrastructure, research and skill development.
Kishan Reddy said the government was simultaneously investing in solar, wind and hydropower projects, besides developing Green Energy Corridors, to ensure that electric vehicles are powered by clean energy.
He noted that public sector enterprises such as Coal India Limited and NLC India Limited were expanding into renewable energy projects, including solar and pumped storage initiatives.
Highlighting the importance of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper for electric vehicles, semiconductors and advanced technologies, the Union Minister said the Centre had launched the National Critical Mineral Mission with an outlay of Rs 34,000 crore to strengthen the country’s long-term resource security.
He said Telangana was emerging as a major hub for pharmaceuticals, information technology, defence manufacturing, electric mobility, electronics and semiconductor design.
He added that several global semiconductor companies had established design centres in Hyderabad and that the Centre was extending incentives through the Semicon India Programme to promote semiconductor manufacturing, research and design.
Referring to India’s progress in electronics manufacturing, Kishan Reddy said the country had become the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, with 99.2 per cent of smartphones used domestically now being manufactured in India.
He said electronics manufacturing had increased sevenfold, exports had grown elevenfold and the sector was providing employment to nearly 2.5 million people, aided by initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme.
Expressing confidence in Keto Motors’ future, the Union Minister said the company would play a significant role in advancing sustainable mobility through innovation while contributing to economic growth and employment generation, in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
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