SANGAREDDY: Be it women entering the moto-taxi industry in Rwanda or women being allowed to drive on Saudi Arabia’s highways, the link between female mobility and economic liberation is undeniable. Telangana’s latest gambit — training women as drivers — joins this global tide. With the monthly earnings potential tripling the average rural income, the initiative bets on a simple equation: when mothers drive, children thrive.
Officials believe that training women in driving skills will create employment opportunities, particularly with Hyderabad nearby, where many women travellers prefer female drivers. By driving cars, women are expected to earn between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 per month, they say. Authorities are also in discussions with corporate organisations and travel services to facilitate job placements for newly trained drivers.
A senior official says, “To help women find employment and carve their path to financial independence, the district administration decided to teach them how to drive.”
One of the newly trained drivers says, “Driving has traditionally been a male-dominated field, and it is entirely new for us. While we were hesitant initially, we are not afraid. In the past, businesses and shops were also dominated by men, but today, many women have succeeded in these areas. The same will happen with driving.”
Addressing the concluding session of a training programme recently, Sangareddy District Collector Valluru Kranthi said, “Learning to drive will not only provide employment but also instil self-confidence in women. However, the vehicles must be driven by the women themselves, not by their sons or husbands; otherwise, the purpose will be lost.”
Stating that it will help women break free from poverty, she said, “Families rise from poverty, children gain access to better education and futures are secured when a woman is empowered.”