LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered the suspension of down-payment collection from students receiving electric bikes under the provincial government’s youth e-bike scheme.
Under the revised arrangement, the Punjab government will also cover interest and insurance costs for the electric bikes. A proposal to set the students’ monthly installment at around Rs3,000 has also been agreed upon.
The chief minister has directed authorities to reopen the e-bike portal this week to facilitate applications from eligible students.
The provincial government has also given in-principle approval to gradually expand the CM Electric Bike Scheme beyond students to government employees, departments, the general public and delivery riders.
According to Transport Secretary Imran Sikandar Baloch, students receiving e-bikes will also be provided with helmets and safety guards free of cost. The electric bikes will be equipped with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
The government will additionally provide free two-day driving training to interested students under the scheme, following the chief minister’s instructions.
Authorities have been directed to ensure that eligible students receive their electric bikes within six weeks of the scheme’s implementation.
The measures are aimed at making electric mobility more accessible to students while expanding the provincial e-bike initiative to other segments of society.