PUNE: Maharashtra’s Pink E-Rickshaw scheme for creating employment opportunities for women has reached only 130 beneficiaries against a target of 10,000, with difficulties in securing bank loans and obtaining driving licences slowing its implementation nearly two years after its launch.
The Women and Child Development Department had set the 10,000-vehicle target in 2024 across 17 cities. The 130 vehicles distributed by July 2026 account for just 1.3% of the original target. Under the original financial structure, banks were to finance 70% of the vehicle cost, the government 20% and beneficiaries the remaining 10%. With an e-rickshaw costing around ₹ 4 lakh, arranging the beneficiary contribution and securing a bank loan for the balance proved difficult for several applicants. Accordingly, the subsidy has now been increased to 40%. A new target of providing e-rickshaws to 5,000 women has also been set,” said Jamsing Girase, deputy commissioner, Women and Child Welfare Department.
“The state government has made changes to the e-Pink E-Rickshaw scheme.
But when I approached the bank for a loan, the process became difficult. I was asked about my CIBIL score and other loan-related requirements, and arranging the required documents and financial contribution was not easy. I had expected the government scheme to make it easier for women like me to get the vehicle, but bank finance became the biggest hurdle. I could not move ahead with the purchase despite being interested in the scheme. For Shradda Jondhalekar from Satara district, the self-drive clause became a major concern. But I later realised that the beneficiary herself has to drive the vehicle. I do not have enough experience driving an auto and completing the licence and RTO formalities was another challenge. I had initially thought that a family member could drive the vehicle while I remained the beneficiary, but that was not allowed under the scheme.
Because i thought the scheme would give me an opportunity to be financially independent, savita Rane, an applicant from Ambegaon taluka, said, “I applied. Because it could have provided a regular source of income for my family, “I was interested in getting a pink e-rickshaw. Because of these conditions, I could not proceed with the plan,” she said.
The scheme was introduced to help women, particularly those from financially weaker sections, establish an independent livelihood through e-rickshaw operations. The requirement that beneficiaries operate the vehicles themselves has also added to the delays, particularly for women who do not already have the required driving skills or RTO authorisation. The higher subsidy is expected to reduce the beneficiaries’ financial burden and make it easier for them to secure bank finance for the remaining cost. The low distribution against the original target, however, highlights the gap between the scheme’s intended reach and its implementation. The revised financial assistance and redistribution of targets are now expected to speed up implementation.
The state government approved changes to the scheme in July 2026 in an attempt to address these hurdles. Its contribution towards the cost of an e-rickshaw has been increased from 20% to 40%, while women who had already purchased vehicles under the earlier structure will also be eligible for the revised benefit. The department has now set a fresh target of providing pink e-rickshaws to at least 5,000 women during 2026-27.
Because of CIBIL scores, guarantor requirements and other lending conditions, bank finance emerged as one of the main bottlenecks, with applicants reportedly facing difficulties.
The revised scheme can also be extended to additional districts, with the government allowing beneficiary quotas to be redistributed among districts according to requirements.
