We need to develop our own infrastructure and make more in India: Pralhad Joshi

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: India is blessed with talent, manpower and potential, so we need to go forward and make more in India, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and New & Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday.

Joshi was in Bengaluru to lay the foundation stone for an Electric Vehicle (EV) testing facility at the National Test House (NTH) here.

"Technology upgrade is a must. We need to develop our own systems, our own infrastructure. Towards this goal, the first EV battery testing facility will be opened in my home state,” Joshi said, speaking at the launch event.

According to him, every decision made by the Narendra Modi government is interconnected and is a step towards ‘atma nirbharta' (self reliance).

“For instance, we plan to have 30 per cent EV vehicles on Indian roads by 2030. But we also want the power used for electric vehicles to be renewable, so we are promoting solar power in a big way. We are pushing for installing 1 crore households with free solar setup, so that we have access to renewable power,” Joshi said.

He also urged the NTH to diversify its testing capacity by training more people and putting in place more facilities like the EV testing one. NTH, which has been at the forefront of testing and quality assurance in various fields, operates under the Department of Consumer Affairs.

“The government will provide all the support it needs to achieve this goal. Already NTH has bagged some of the prestigious projects in India, like Central Vista and Metro Rail. So, it should aim to become a Rs 100 crore company in three years,” the minister said.

Apart from Bengaluru, the minister said, plans are on to establish EV testing facilities in Mumbai and Kolkata as well.

The facility in Bengaluru will have equipment capable of conducting various tests on EV batteries, including electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), functional safety, durability, climate, and mechanical and material tests, Department of Consumer Affairs Additional Secretary Bharat Khera said.

It will serve as a comprehensive centre for testing various aspects of EVs, ensuring that vehicles meet stringent quality standards before reaching consumers, Department of Consumer Affairs Joint Secretary Anupam Mishra said.

He added that this is expected to be a significant boon for southern India's EV manufacturers. On the occasion, Director of Legal Metrology Ashutosh Agarwal presented an International Organisation of Legal Metrology approved certificate, accepted worldwide, to Tatsuno India, a manufacturer of dispensing units for petrol pumps.