State rolls out cash dole for women empowerment

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her government will be providing a subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh to encourage women in rolling out vehicles under the

Gatidhara scheme.

Banerjee flagged off 20 electric buses, 20 CNG buses and 10 pink taxis that are owned and driven by women from Nabanna on Wendnesday.

"We provide a subsidy of Rs 1 lakh under the Gatidhara scheme for unemployed youth who want to roll out vehicles. To encourage women and to make them self-dependent we will be giving Rs 1.5 lakh to women who will roll out vehicles under the Gatidhara scheme. It will be a major stride towards women empowerment. We have plans to introduce another 1000 pink taxis in the city," Banerjee said.

It may be mentioned that more than 36000 youths has already been provided subsidy under the scheme.

"Today (Wednesday) we have rolled our 20 electric buses. We will be introducing 60 more electric buses within a period of three months. Our schemes such as Gatidhara and Jaladhara have provided employment to a number of youths in the state." Banerjee said.

The Jaladhara scheme that was introduced in April 2017 provides financial assistance to convert semi-mechanised boats to mechanised ones to avert accidents.

The state government provides financial assistance of around 30 per cent of the total cost of bringing in the mechanised boats in place of semi-mechanised ones.

The amount for the scheme is maximum Rs 1 lakh.

According to a senior official in the state Transport department, the electric buses that have been introduced will be running in three routes from Airport to Joka, Shyambazar to Nabanna and Tollygunge to Bidhannagar.

"We will have more routes with the introduction of more electric buses. Charging of electric buses will not be a problem with our department already putting up facilities of 55 charging stations in the city," state Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari said.

The CNG buses will presently ply in Asansol Duragpur area where there is a supply of CNG gas.

Banerjee also inaugurated the renovated Jadavpur 8B bus stand through remote control. The total cost for revamp has been Rs 4.54 crore.

"We are taking up renovation of more bus stands in the city for the benefit of the passengers that includes the one at Joka and Baruipur," she said.