Driving change: Empowering women behind the wheels

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 23

Having trained about 70 girls in driving skills a few months ago, the district administration is all set to again organise a second phase of free driving training camp for 150 girls under the `Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ drive.

DC Ghanshyam Thori said the district administration had decided to launch the second phase of this project to make girls self-reliant and skilled in this highly competitive world. He said in the present competitive world, learning driving skills were quite crucial and sometimes prove to be a game-changer from the employment point of view. The DC said organising such camps for girls to help them seek equal job opportunities was the need of the hour.

He said earlier in September, a free-of-cost driving training camp for about 70 girls was organised, which proved to be beneficial for them in many ways.

The administration, after the culmination of the camp, also assisted the girls to obtain learner’s driving license from the Transport Department, adding that during the second phase, training to as many as 150 girls would be provided in 12 different classes.

Thori said the core motive behind this idea was to make girls self-reliant and help them build confidence so that they don’t miss out on any opportunity due to the lack of driving skills. He added that with this new skill, girls would not rely on others for movement from one place to another.

Pointing out further, District Programme Officer Gurminder Singh Randhawa mentioned that on the directives of the Deputy Commissioner, the bids have been called from the interested driving schools, which would be opened on February 2.

The coaching shall include theory and practical sessions simultaneously, with 8 kms of mandatory training during each class, he added.

Terming the driving training a unique move, Isha Pushkarna of Basti Danishmanda, a participant of the first camp, said the training would not just build confidence in her but also open doorways of multiple career opportunities for her. She said she also obtained a learner’s driving licence with the help of the administration and this new skill has also scaled-up her confidence.