Why Uddhav Thackeray checked the expiry date on his own driving licence as he launched a new online process for learners' licences

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday remembered his old days as he launched the online process for getting a learner's driving licence.
The initiative will not only reduce footfalls at RTOs but will also decrease the burden on the administration and save time and money for both citizens and the government.
Speaking at the event, CM Thackeray said, " For almost a year, we have started a process, which we can call e-governance and it is one of the steps we are learning amid covid that we should not step out if it is not necessary."
"Many times it happens that we make rules, law and fall short of implementing it, but Covid has made us follow them. Some things are good, some are bad as each thing has two sides."
Thackeray also said that it had been ages since he turned his attention to his own driving licence.
"When I was told about the initiate, I first checked the expiry date on my licence. Today, I am carrying a smartcard. When I started, a driving licence used to be a small booklet and had to be taken care of so that it wouldn't get wet."
Stating that today's vehicles are automatic, Thackeray remembered that, stopping a geared vehicle on a slope and then moving it forward without stalling it or having it roll back was a tough task and it was easy to fail at that test.
"I read there are 15,00,000 learning licences issued every year, vehicles are also increasing, but parking is an important issue for cities. We have taken a good step. Maharashtra has always been aggressive in development and we want all the good things in the world in the state and Mumbai. The wheels of development should keep on moving forward."
Transport Minister Anil Parab said that earlier 10 lakh people used to visit the RTO office for learning licences and remembered that he too had to stand in queue for hours to get one.
Parab termed it a revolutionary step - one that would help get work done even while maintaining a safe distance.