Business
Electric vehicle sales set to jump 80% in 2021: Report at COP26

Passenger electric vehicle sales are set to jump over 80 per cent in 2021 to 5.6 million units, off the back of unprecedented industry and government commitments around the world over the last two years, according to the Zero-Emission Vehicles Factbook, a special report published on Wednesday by BloombergNEF (BNEF), at the request of the UK COP26 Presidency and in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies.
The Factbook documents the progress that has been made towards global net-zero emissions in the road transport sector, and shows that the future is brighter than ever for zero-emission vehicles.
In the first half of 2021, sales of passenger electric vehicles (including battery electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell vehicles) were 140 per cent higher than the same period in 2019, reaching seven per cent of global passenger vehicle sales.
This compares with just 2.6 per cent in 2019, the year of the last UN Climate Change Conference.
The total global fleet of passenger electric and fuel cell vehicles now totals nearly 13 million, of which 8.5 million are true zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), either battery electric or fuel cell (still, fuel cell vehicles account for a fraction of that total).
The latter figure is up from just 4.6 million at the time of COP25. At the same time, by 1H 2021, the global fleet of zero-emission buses has increased by 22 per cent since 2019, and the report expects 18 per cent of all municipal buses on the road to be zero-emission at the end of 2021.
What is more, the future looks brighter than ever.
A review of industry outlooks shows that zero-emission vehicle forecasts have been raised across the board. BNEF’s own forecast for the global ZEV fleet in 2040 has been raised from 495 million vehicles in its 2019 forecast, to 677 million in its 2021 Electric Vehicle Outlook.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has raised its 2030 battery electric vehicle fleet forecast by seven per cent since 2019, while the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has raised its 2040 estimate for the global electric and fuel cell vehicle fleet by 11 per cent.
Underpinning these stronger forecasts are a range of factors, including improving battery technology and costs, faster roll-outs of charging infrastructure, a wider range of vehicle models on offer to customers, and longer range and faster charging speeds available on the newest vehicles. Each of these factors is discussed in detail in the report.
The report is launched in time for Transport Day of COP26, where a coalition of government and global car industry leaders working towards 100 per cent zero-emission new car, van and HGV sales by 2040, will come together, helping to keep 1.5 degrees within reach.
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Accelerating towards a greener future is the UK’s key priority and I am delighted to see our tremendous efforts towards greening transport reflected in this report.
“Decarbonising transport is key to conserving our planet and creating new UK jobs. Today marks a very proud moment in history as governments around the world come together behind 100 per cent zero emission car, van and HGV sales by 2040.”
Business
Maharashtra govt issues notice to Ola Electric over missing trade certificates

Pune, April 4: The Maharashtra government has issued a notice to Ola Electric Mobility Limited, asking the company to explain why some of its stores in the state are operating without valid trade certificates.
According to the notice from the Transport Commissioner’s Office, several Ola Electric showrooms and service centres in Maharashtra are being run without the required documents.
The notice also accuses the company of illegally selling vehicles through these unauthorised outlets.
According to media report, the notice, dated March 31, gives the company three days to respond.
“This is a very serious matter, and you are requested to provide an explanation within three days as to why action should not be taken against your company for this act,” the notice said.
It was reportedly signed by Joint Transport Commissioner Ravi Gaikwad. However, as of now, Ola Electric has not responded officially on the issue.
The notice follows an earlier inspection drive initiated by the state transport authority.
On March 21, NDTV Profit had reported that Maharashtra’s Transport Commissioner had instructed all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) to carry out special checks at Ola Electric stores.
These inspections reportedly revealed that many outlets were functioning without the necessary trade certificates.
As per the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, every vehicle distributor or manufacturer must obtain a trade certificate to register and sell vehicles.
In addition, Rule 35 of the same law states that each showroom or dealership must have a separate certificate from the concerned registration authority.
The shares of the electric two-wheeler manufacturer closed lower by Rs 1.42 or 2.63 per cent to close the intra-day trade at Rs 52.62 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
Earlier this week, the company saw a sharp drop in its electric two-wheeler sales in March 2025, selling 23,430 units — a steep 56 per cent decline compared to the same month last year.
The company said on April 1 that the fall was mainly due to disruptions caused by its recent shift to handling vehicle registrations in-house, a process that began in February.
Business
Cabinet okays 4 projects worth Rs. 18,658 crore to expand track network of Indian Railways

New Delhi, April 4: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved four projects to expand the track network of Indian Railways with an investment of Rs 18,658 crore, according to an official statement issued on Friday.
The four projects covering 15 districts in three states – Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh – will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 1,247 km.
These projects include Sambalpur-Jarapda 3rd and 4th Lines, Jharsuguda-Sason 3rd and 4th Lines, Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa 5th and 6th Lines, and Gondia-Balharshah doubling
The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-needed infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The projects are in line with PM Modi’s vision of a New India, which will make people of the region “Aatmanirbhar” with comprehensive development in the area, which will enhance their employment/ opportunities, the official statement said.
The projects are part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which entail integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.
With these projects, 19 new stations will be constructed, enhancing connectivity to two Aspirational Districts (Gadchiroli and Rajnandgaon). The multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to around 3,350 villages and about 47.25 lakh population.
Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa lines will provide direct connectivity to new areas such as Baloda Bazar, and this will create possibilities for the setting up of new industrial units, including cement plants, in the region.
These lines are essential routes for the transportation of commodities such as agricultural products, fertiliser, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, and limestone. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 88.77 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum), the statement said.
With rhe Railways being an environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, the new projects will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics costs of the country. The projects are expected to reduce oil import by 95 crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by 477 crore kg, which is equivalent to planting 19 crore trees, the statement added.
National
‘Waqf Bill will benefit Muslims, no threat to religious sites,’ says Shahabuddin Razvi

New Delhi, April 4: Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, the National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, expressed his support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, stating that it would significantly benefit Muslims and ensure the betterment of their socio-economic conditions.
He praised the passage of the bill in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and thanked the Modi government.
Maulana Shahabuddin, giving his first reaction to passage of bill, said, “The Waqf Amendment Bill does not harm common Muslims, it will benefit them. The only ones who stand to lose are the Waqf land mafias who have illegally occupied valuable land. Common Muslims will not be affected by this.”
He further stated that the bill is aimed at protecting the interests of the poor and vulnerable sections of the Muslim community.
The Maulana explained that the revenue generated from Waqf land would be used to improve the socio-economic status of impoverished Muslims, particularly those unable to afford quality education for their children.
“The income from Waqf land will be used for the benefit of poor Muslims, helping children from low-income families get a better education, and assisting orphans and widows in their development,” he said.
Maulana Shahabuddin assured that the funds would be used according to the intention of the Waqf and aimed at opening schools, colleges, madrasas, and orphanages to uplift the educational and social standing of underprivileged Muslims.
Addressing concerns about the impact on religious sites, Maulana Shahabuddin stated, “The Waqf Amendment Bill poses no threat to religious sites. Mosques, madrasas, Eidgahs, cemeteries, and shrines will remain unaffected. The government will not interfere with these religious institutions in any way.”
He further cautioned the Muslim community against falling prey to misleading political narratives, urging them not to be swayed by political figures seeking to exploit the situation for their own gain.
“Some politicians are misleading Muslims for their own interests. I appeal to the Muslim community to not fall for their provocations,” he added.
In the early hours of Friday, the Rajya Sabha approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with a majority of 128 votes against 95, following a heated debate. The Bill had been passed in the Lok Sabha just a day earlier, after nearly 12 hours of intense discussions.
Drawing a parallel to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) controversy, Maulana Shahabuddin recalled how political leaders misled the Muslim community, causing unwarranted fear that Muslims would lose their citizenship.
“When the CAA law was introduced, Muslims were misled into believing that their citizenship would be revoked. However, after its implementation, it became clear that no Muslim in India lost their citizenship, and instead, many were granted citizenship,” he stated.
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