Buoyed by the overwhelming response to their women empowerment initiative in Wanaparthy, Telangana police are now taking their efforts to Jogulamba-Gadwal district.
About 100 women, including home-makers and students, will be trained in driving cars and tractors so that they are ready for employment or help their family members in the agriculture field.
Speaking to The Hindu, Wanaparthy Superintendent of Police Apoorva Rao, who is also in-charge of Gadwal district, said this can go a long way in empowering women as it is a good opportunity for safe employment, besides enhancing their skills.
The idea is also to break stereotypes and challenge the mistaken notion that tractors can be driven by men alone.
Those who got qualified for learners’ licence were trained for car driving for three months and thereafter those interested in the tractor driving were trained for an additional 45 days in Wanaparthy district, Ms Rao said.
“They are professional drivers now, and I’m happy to see them plough fields with tractors,” she said.
The response for the drive was so overwhelming that policemen struggled and were forced to cut off the number of applications to 100.
According to Ms. Rao, similar training will be provided at Gadwal and registration is already in progress. “Interested women can enrol themselves at Gadwal and Alampur police stations. The training, which is free of cost, will start next week,” the officer said.
Nirmala Nayak, a home-maker from Wanaparthy said that she never dreamt of taking the wheels, but now she drives both car and tractor. “Thanks to Ms. Rao, she encouraged and boosted our confidence level when we were a bit scared and hesitant to drive,” she said.
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