She Autos to hit city roads soon

The Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) is planning to launch a training programme in driving for women under ‘She Autos’ in the city in the second week of April. The aim of the programme evolved by the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) is to make the unemployed women, under the age group of 18 to 40 in urban areas, self-reliant. As many as 120 women have enrolled their names at the Urban Community Development Wing of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to undergo the one-month training in driving.

Speaking to The Hans India, MEPMA state coordinator and deputy director Rajasekhar Reddy said that all the enrolled women would be trained for driving autos in the first phase of the programme. “Physical fitness of women would also be considered during the programme. After the successful completion of the training, the Road Transport Authority (RTA) would test the driving skills of the women and issue licences to them. Later, bank loans would be arranged for the women beneficiaries to purchase autos.

If the beneficiaries formed themselves into self help groups (SHGs), they could get bank loans at 4 per cent interest rate. Otherwise, they would be charged 7 per cent rate of interest,” he added.“MEPMA has already reached agreements with market leaders Tata Motors and Bajaj Auto Limited for manufacturing She Autos. “The auto service is envisaged to ensure safety of working women and college girls in the wake of increase in atrocities against them. We are getting a good response for the programme. If the pilot project is successful, a thousand She Autos will be introduced in the city in a phased manner,” Rajasekhar concluded.

By Sistla Dakshina Murthy