As part of its ongoing efforts to hone the skills of women to make them self-reliant, the Uttar Pradesh government is gearing up to organise training for second and third batches of female roadways bus drivers in the state.

During Shardiya Navratri, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had handed over the command of the UP State Road Transport Corporation buses to the women in Ayodhya. Subsequently, efforts are underway to expedite their empowerment and development.

According to SP Singh, principal of the training institute, the training duration of light motor vehicle driver level-3 course will be 344 hours (three months). After this, the assessment will be done through the Sector Skill Council ASDC Delhi determined by the Skill Development Mission.

The qualified candidates will undergo 400 hours (four months) training of commercial vehicle driver level-4 course. After completing both courses, there will be 17 months’ training in the depot.

During the training, the candidates will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 6,000. This course is residential and candidates are required to stay in the hostel provided for the duration of both training courses. Accommodation and meals will be provided free of cost.

Upon completion of the 24-month training programme, candidates will be assigned as contract drivers at the depot, tasked with operating pink buses. For this, it is necessary that the candidate should not have previously received training from any institute under the Skill Development Mission.

As per the training institute’s principal, one batch of candidates has already received training in the past. The upcoming second batch is set to accommodate 27 candidates, of which as of now, 15 registrations have been completed while 12 are yet to be done for training at the institute. Priority for registration will be given to women who apply first, and their training is expected to conclude in January 2024.

During the launch of Mission Mahila Sarathi in Shardiya Navratri, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave responsibility for the operation of buses to women drivers and conductors in Ayodhya. A total of 51 buses were flagged off, out of which 18 are being operated by women drivers and conductors. The training of women drivers is underway to ensure that women continue to play a significant role in managing buses in the future.