More than 1.3 million young people have registered for the Punjab government’s e-bike scheme, and over 607,000 applications have been submitted, according to an official announcement. The figures point to strong interest in the CM E-Bikes Scheme, which offers electric bikes on installments to young people across the province. The announcement reports registrations and submitted applications as separate figures, and it did not explain how many of those who registered are still to complete their applications.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed the relevant authorities to complete the process as soon as possible. She said that providing affordable transport to young people and making it easier to reach education, particularly for female students, are among the government’s priorities. Under the scheme, 100,000 young people will be selected through a balloting process to receive e-bikes. Successful candidates will pay monthly installments of Rs3,000, while the Punjab government will cover the interest on the bikes. With around 607,000 applications submitted so far for 100,000 bikes, applicants face competition, and the ballot will decide who is selected. A ballot gives every eligible applicant the same chance, without any ranking of applicants.
On the chief minister’s instructions, free driving lessons will also be arranged for successful applicants so that they can travel safely and conveniently to their educational institutions. Maryam Nawaz said the government would provide all possible resources to help young people, particularly female students, progress. She added that e-bikes would make commuting easier for female students and reduce their monthly travel expenses. For students who currently spend a large share of their budget on transport, a fixed monthly instalment of Rs3,000 with the interest paid by the government is intended to offer a lower and more predictable cost. The driving lessons are aimed at making sure that new riders are prepared before they take their bikes onto the road.
The scheme is part of a wider group of Punjab programmes that use technology and transport support to help young people. Earlier, the province held a consultation on distributing around 120,000 electric two and three wheelers through affordable financing under the Punjab Clean Air Program, with plans for charging stations and battery waste management. The government has not yet announced the date of the ballot, the models of e-bikes that will be provided, or how successful candidates will be informed. The chief minister said every young person in Punjab is important to her government, which will continue to introduce initiatives to support the province’s youth, and further details on the ballot are expected once the application process is complete.
Follow the SPIN IDG WhatsApp Channel for updates across the Smart Pakistan Insights Network covering all of Pakistan’s technology ecosystem.
