Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 13: The A&N Administration has always been taking many proactive steps towards empowerment of women and at the same time it is committed to ensure maximum road safety. In this direction, it has been decided to introduce a Scheme wherein the eligible female candidates of the UT will be imparted training to acquire adequate skills in the correct driving practice of motor vehicles and also to promote it as an employment option. With the help of the State Bank of India (SBI) and its Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI), A&N Administration has prepared a new scheme called ‘SARTHINI’.
This scheme was launched by Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS, Chief Secretary, A&N Administration on August 12 in the presence of senior Officers of A&N Administration and officials of SBI. The Scheme will give free Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) driving training to eligible women across the Islands. The goal is to help women, especially those from poor and underprivileged backgrounds, become self-reliant and earn their livelihood.
The training program will be conducted in all districts and efforts will be taken to accommodate the candidates at the place where the program will be conducted which is nearer to their place of residence. In the first instance, it is decided to start the training program in Sri Vijaya Puram and Swaraj Dweep. Such program will also be held in other Islands.
Interested female candidates aged 18 and above can submit their applications in the offices of Transport Department or SBI, RSETI, Sri Vijaya Puram. Applications will be scrutinized based on the following preferences:
•Scheduled Tribe (ST) women.
•Women from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
•Women who are members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
•Women from families registered under MGNREGA who worked at least 35 days last year.
•Other unemployed females.
The training with a duration of 30 days will be given free of cost and each batch will have a capacity of 25 candidates. SBI, RSETI will be arranging the classes and other facilities and wherever required, the services of skilled manpower of Transport Department will be made available during the training. After completion of training and passing the driving test, Driving Licenses will be issued to the candidates. Another important aspect of the training will be the entrepreneurship training initiative which forms the part of curriculum and will be a significant step towards women empowerment and skill development in the Islands, helping women become self-reliant and enabling them to explore employment and self-employment opportunities. Format of application is available in the Departmental website www.transport.and.nic.in. Queries if any can be submitted in the email: sbirseti.portblair@gmail.com or dirtpt.and@nic.in.