Panaji, May 9 (IANS): The Goa government is in the process of lobbying with the Centre for nearly 1,200 electric buses to add to the existing fleet of 50 such buses in the state government-operated Kadamba Transport Corporation, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said on Monday.

"By the end of the year we are looking at 100 electric buses. We have been sanctioned 100 buses already, but we have asked for 250 buses more. For next five years, we need 1,200 buses," Godinho said, adding that the vision of the Transport Ministry was to have 80 per cent of the Corporation's buses to function on electricity.

"We are buying these buses because of central assistance. The subsidy component for these e-buses is around 80 per cent. Otherwise they are costly. However, rates (of the buses) are going to come down in the long run as more and more electrical buses come on the roads," he added.

Godinho also said that bus depots, repair stations across the state which are owned by the Corporation would also sport electric vehicle charging stations in order to ensure better turnaround time for e-buses used in public transport.