KOCHI: Tribal women, some of whom may not have even taken a ride inside a four-wheeler, will soon be able to drive one. The Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) is all set to launch a tribal women empowerment initiative by helping them learn to drive and issue them licences.
The project, ‘Kanavu’, will kick off at Marayur panchayat in Idukki. In the initial phase, 43 tribal women from 24 tribal settlements in the panchayat, will get a chance to get a driving license. MVD officials are currently conducting driving classes after travelling for over two hours to settle.
“Currently, eight women have cleared the learner’s licence test, while the remaining 35 are working hard to clear the learner’s test. We have been providing them training and taking classes on road rules as part of preparing them for the examination. We are helping them secure a two-wheeler licence at first. In the next phase, we will teach them how to drive four-wheelers,” said Deepu, motor vehicles inspector with the Devikulam sub-regional transport office, which is implementing the project in association with Marayur panchayat.
The MVD decided to launch the project after seeing tribal people spending a hefty amount on transportation to various places. The department raised the funds for the learners and driving tests through sponsorship. “Many tribal residents, mostly women, depend on jeeps and other vehicles to go to places outside the settlements. Since it is difficult for the government to arrange public transportation to their settlement, their vehicles are the only ray of hope for them. Realising this, we decided to start ‘Kanavu’,” said Shaji Madhavan, senior deputy transport commissioner.
Though the MVD launched the Gothra Seva project last year to issue licences to tribal residents, ‘Kanavu’ is claimed to be the first initiative in the country for empowering tribal women. “We are getting an overwhelming response from women since we started initial work on the project. If the project is successful, it will be extended to other tribal areas in the state,” said transport commissioner S Sreejith.
The women studying to get their licences told TNIE that learning to drive under the initiative will bring a huge change in their lives. “We were in the dark about the positive outcome of driving,” said Deepa Arul Jothi, Marayur panchayat president. She said it was their wish to receive their licence from President Droupadi Murmu.