Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wants to change how people travel in eastern India. She has included a significant push for green transport in often overlooked states in her ninth budget.
What is the headline number? 4,000 electric buses for urban areas across five eastern states.
What Mission Purvodaya Covers
This isn’t a new scheme. The government launched Mission Purvodaya back in 2020 to develop India’s eastern region. But today’s budget gives it fresh momentum.
Sitharaman announced plans for an Integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor centred around Durgapur. Better road connectivity comes as part of the package. Five major tourist spots in the region will also get development funding.
The states covered include Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and northern Andhra Pradesh. These areas sit on rich mineral resources but have lagged behind western and southern India in infrastructure.
Why Electric Buses Matter Here
Urban transport in smaller eastern cities runs mostly on old diesel buses. They’re noisy, polluting, and uncomfortable. Electric buses would change daily commutes for lakhs of people.
The 4,000 e-bus target also creates demand for charging infrastructure, maintenance facilities, and trained staff. That means jobs in regions where employment options remain limited.
For the government, this initiative fits the larger goal of making India self-reliant. Establishing an integrated steel hub that utilises local mineral resources is an additional component of this plan.
Tourism and Sustainability Also in Focus
Sitharaman’s efforts extended beyond industry and transport. She proposed sustainable hill trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir. Similar trails will come up in Araku Valley and the Western Ghats.
There’s even a plan for turtle trails near critical nesting sites in Odisha, Karnataka, and Kerala. Eco-tourism clearly features in the government’s thinking.
The Bigger Goal
Mission Purvodaya aligns with India’s ambition to become a five-trillion-dollar economy. The East has resources and a workforce. What it lacks is infrastructure and investment.
Today’s budget tries to address that gap. Whether 4,000 electric buses and better roads actually transform the region remains to be seen. But at least the money is now on the table.
