New Delhi, Nov. 20 -- The 2,800 electric buses allocated to Delhi under the PM E-Drive scheme meant to electrify public transport hangs in balance, as the city government has yet to meet a crucial condition under the incentive plan.

Delhi has not fulfilled its payment security mechanism requirement under the scheme, which asks states and Union territories to create a direct debit mandate (DDM) with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Without fulfilling this condition, the city's will not be eligible for the country's largest e-bus tender for 10,900 buses under the Rs.10,900-crore PM E-Drive scheme.

Under the PM E-Drive scheme, the direct debit mandate allows the RBI to automatically deduct money from a state or Union territory's account an...