Karnataka To Become First State to Reserve 50% Driving Jobs For Women

State-run buses in Karnataka will soon have women drivers as the government is a special policy to reserve 50% of drivers' posts for women in Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). Transport minister H M Revanna attended a meeting with officials of KSRTC and BMTC last Friday and urged the authorities to draft a policy to encourage women candidates to take up the job of driving heavy transport vehicles (HTVs). The prospective drivers will be trained and given a special stipend, after which they'd be absorbed into service. Revanna informed that countries like China, Britain and Italy have women bus drivers. If this reservation comes through, then Karnataka will become the first state to provide 50% reservation for women in this job at government transport agencies. He added that free training and free driving licenses will be given to the women driving HTVs. Karnataka Vocational Training and Skill Development Corporation limited (KVTSDC) will be roped in to train the women candidates. The training programme is expected to commence next month. Nagaraj Yadav, BMTC chairman, said the corporation would utilize Rs 57 crore granted under the Nirbhaya fund to pay a stipend to woman candidates. He said that the idea is in line with women empowerment and the move would definitely reduce rudeness on road.