Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has announced a major expansion of the Chief Minister’s e-Bike Scheme, under which more than 125, 000 electric bikes will be provided to students across the province. The announcement was made under the provincial government’s Year of Youth initiative. Under the new scheme, students will not have to pay any down payment. The Punjab government will also bear the interest and insurance costs, while the monthly instalment is proposed to be around Rs3, 000. Maryam directed the authorities to activate the e-bike portal within the current week to facilitate applications from eligible students. The electric bikes will be equipped with modern lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries. Students will also receive helmets and safety rods free of cost along with the bikes. The scheme will further include two days of free driving training to help students operate the vehicles safely. The chief minister directed officials to ensure that all eligible students receive their bikes within six weeks. The Punjab government has also given in-principle approval to gradually expand the scheme beyond students. Government employees, delivery riders and members of the general public are expected to be brought under its scope in subsequent phases. The initiative is part of the provincial government’s broader push towards electric and environmentally friendly transport. Punjab had earlier announced plans to expand e-bike and other electric-vehicle initiatives across the province. The government has previously used an online portal for its student bike initiatives, with eligibility verification and electronic balloting used when applications exceed the available quota. The latest scheme is expected to reduce students’ commuting costs while encouraging the use of cleaner transport across Punjab.
Punjab students to get 125,000-plus e-bikes with no down payment
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