In good news for Pune, the city has made it to the top 50 champion cities of the world in the 2021 Global Mayors Challenge for its Electric Vehicles (EV) plan.
Pune will now advance in the final stage of the 2021 Global Mayors Challenge. The worldwide competition encourages and spreads cities’ most promising ideas. The announcement was made by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
BJP MLA Siddharth Shirole congratulated Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) Mayor Murlidhar Mohol for the city's selection to the 2021 Global Mayors Challenge. "Congratulations #Pune! #PMC led by Mayor @mohol_murlidhar ji has been selected in the 50 champion cities of the 2021 Global Mayors Challenge that recognizes innovative urban solutions to emerge in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic," he tweeted.
Shirole further said that a committee of global experts selected Pune's proposal of city EV-readiness plan and establish an EV fund that incentivizes use. "A bold step to tackle among the post pressing challenges of city: Pollution & Traffic," he said in another tweeted.
According Bloomberg Philanthropies website, Pune has the highest rates of vehicle ownership, and vehicles contribute nearly 25 percent of particulate pollution in the city. "Among Indian cities, Pune has some of the highest rates of vehicle ownership, and vehicles contribute nearly 25 percent of particulate pollution in the city. To increase early adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), Pune proposes to prepare a city EV-readiness plan and establish an EV fund that incentivizes use. This idea stands out because Pune is seen as a city at the vanguard of India's National Smart Cities push and a hub for innovation. Success in Pune could allow solutions to scale across India and achieve broad impact," Bloomberg Philanthropies website stated.
According to the website, 631 cities from around the world submitted applications earlier this year and from those a committee of global experts has selected the 50 most innovative urban solutions to emerge in the wake of COVID-19 to advance in the competition. Of these 50 cities, 15 will win USD 1 million each—to help them implement their breakthrough ideas and, ultimately, to spread their ideas to other cities around the world.
