A drive for the women, by the women

Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has not only initiated but made a good progress by launching a unique team of Pink Auto Service of women autorickshaw drivers especially only for women passengers.    SMC trained these special women drivers and also assisted them to get a finance to buy their own autorickshaws which would make them self-sustainable to enhance their livelihoods. Bank of Baroda (BOB) lend the loan to these aspiring women drivers @7% rate of interest to purchase their autorickshaws.   Gayatri Jariwala, assistant commissioner, in-charge, urban community development department, SMC said that they have a batch of 70 women and 15 are ready to begin their work. They have a license and have already started working. She also added that they were helped in getting work from schools, especially girls schools and also girls students from other schools.   This initiative was majorly taken for the safety of female passengers, as we read every day a lot about harassment of women commuters in different cities and there is no security. In a way, this process to achieve security for women commuters will also provide employment opportunities to another set of women. These women drivers are able to earn enough to easily pay their installments to the bank and also save some money.