Women, third gender to drive e-rickshaw in JSR

Jamshedpur: The Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) has launched an initiative to encourage women and members of the third gender community to take up electronic autorickshaw driving as a profession.
The urban local body of the industrial town has sought applications from women and LGBT members for the purpose.
JNAC special officer Sanjay Kumar said 31 electronic autorickshaws have been bought by the agency under the National Clean Air (NCA) plan. The official said the notified area is keen to see women and third gender members driving the eco-friendly vehicles. Women in their individual capacity, women self-help group (SHGs) members and disabled persons can apply.
JNAC would formulate a scheme provisioning the interested candidates to deposit a security amount. Besides, the driver has to pay a certain amount to the agency daily in lieu of hiring the autorickshaw for driving. Both the amounts will be finalised soon.
"We would see to it that the security amount is not big and even the the daily amount is minimal. Our focus is on making women, the third gender and the disabled self-reliant," Sanjay Kumar said.
Earlier, JNAC had come out with the proposal inviting applications from the autorickshaw unions for the electronic auto scheme in March. But due to the high security deposit (37,500), there were few takers of the scheme.
The civic body then decided to tweak the scheme and focus on the marginalised women and the third gender. It announced to lower the security deposit and also the daily payable amount.
Officials have clarified that although the civic body is keen on inviting applications from the women and LGBT members, there's no restriction on men applying for the scheme.
"It would be wonderful to see members of the third gender community driving autorickshaws in the city. We would take the plan to our community members and motivate them to join it," said third gender community leader Sanjana Kinnar.
Jamshedpur Sikshit Berojgar Tempo Chalak Sangh (JSBTCS) general secretary Shyam Kinkar Jha said it would be worth appreciating should women and the third gender start driving autorickshaws in the city.
As of now, there are more than 14000 autorickshaws including e-autos and CNG tempos running on the streets of the city but no women or (recognised) third gender person driving any of them.