The Odisha government has launched a significant women’s empowerment initiative, the ‘Ama Subahaka Yojana’ (Self-Reliant Women, Our Driver Scheme), aimed at integrating women into the traditionally male-dominated transport sector. The scheme plans to support 1,100 women over the next four years in becoming professional taxi drivers and entrepreneurs.
Under the program, eligible women will receive substantial financial assistance to purchase new cars for use as taxis.
- Interest-Free Loans for Cars: Each beneficiary can avail of a bank loan of up to ₹10 Lakh to buy a car. The state government will bear the entire 11% annual interest on the loan, effectively making it an interest-free loan for the woman entrepreneur.
- Encouraging Green Mobility: Women who choose to purchase an Electric Vehicle (EV) will receive an additional ₹2 Lakh incentive from the government, promoting both economic empowerment and eco-friendly transport.
- Phased Rollout: The scheme will be implemented in phases over four years, starting with a target of 200 women in the first year.
- Eligibility: The program is open to women between the ages of 21 and 40 who have completed driving training from state-recognized institutes.
Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena stated that the initiative is designed to foster financial independence and self-reliance among women, leveraging the pool of over 6,000 women who have already completed professional driving training in the state.
The ‘Ama Subahaka Yojana’ is seen as a major step toward promoting gender equality and ensuring safer, women-driven mobility options for commuters across Odisha.
