New Delhi, Jan. 28 -- Despite demands from the electric vehicle (EV) industry, the government may not grant 'infrastructure industry' status to the charging infrastructure sector in the upcoming budget on 1 February, two people aware of the development said.

An infrastructure industry status, which allows stakeholders to secure credit at lower interest rates, is unlikely to be granted in the near term, the people mentioned said, because provisions to boost the charging infrastructure are already provided for in the PM E-drive scheme, in operation since October 2024.

The scheme, the third to incentivize adoption of electric vehicles in the last decade, has allocated Rs.2,000 crore for setting up public charging stations over the next two...