Companies knowingly violated FAME subsidy scheme, finds panel
government panel has held that companies knowingly violated Faster Adoption & Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) subsidy scheme guidelines that were 'very clear', officials said.
The report, submitted by the panel earlier this month, counters findings of an earlier probe by a joint secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) that said some key terms in the FAME were not clearly defined.
The December 2023 report by the joint secretary was not accepted by the Centre, which ordered a fresh probe in February.
Electric two-wheeler (e2w) makers have cited the previous rejected report to delay repayment of subsidies they were accused of wrongfully availing.
«The December 2023 report is vague, incomplete and suffered from numerous shortcomings, and contradictions such as failure to properly consider the scheme guidelines and failure to examine any officials,» one of the officials cited above said, adding that this had prompted a fresh probe.
«It has been effectively concluded that the whole scheme notifications and guidelines were clear and well understood by all relevant stakeholders, including test agencies, EV makers and MHI,» the official said, adding that the latest report has pointed out the numerous gaps, limitations and shortcomings in the December 2023 report.
Besides studying the FAME II guidelines, this high-level committee has also examined the role of government functionaries, which allowed the subsidy disbursals without establishing competence of beneficiaries, officials said.
The
