The state technical education, training & skill development department has formulated a training programme for women electric taxi drivers. The venture is the first of its kind and has been taken up as more women have taken up the profession of driving and are often found to drive app cabs, private buses and e-vehicles, both private and commercial.

In-line with West Bengal Electric Vehicle Policy 2021, a 90-hour bridge course was designed by the West Bengal State Council of Technical & Vocational Education and Skill Development, under an existing ‘cab drivers’ training curriculum with an aim to increase employability of women in EV sector in consultation with the UK Government sponsored ASPIRE team.

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Under this partnership, a roadmap has also been prepared for establishing an intelligent mobility skill centre, along with setting up a future mobility lab in West Bengal in a government polytechnic. Snap-E Cabs, a Kolkatabased electric cab aggregator has tied-up with the NPTC Group of Colleges, UK to implement the training programme under ‘Utkarsh Bangla’, a flagship scheme under the aegis of the Paschim Banga Society for Skill Development. NPTC will bring UK’s expertise in operation and maintenance of electric cabs as well as develop skill-sets of EV drivers for maintaining optimal battery conditions while driving and improve efficiency of overall electric vehicle fleets.

This is supported by the UK-India ‘Accelerating Smart Power and Renewable Energy in India’ (ASPIRE) programme. Dr Andrew Fleming, British deputy high commissioner, Kolkata, said, “With COP28 in the background and decarbonisation of transportation being highlighted as a top priority, we must all work together for cleaner transport,” he said.

Saequa Monazza, CAOWBSCTVESD, department of technical education, training & skill development, stated, “It is a matter of pride that with the collaboration of UK Government and technical education training and skill development department, is a first of its kind initiative to encourage women towards newer livelihood has been initiated in West Bengal by training women cab drivers on evehicles while also encouraging ecological responsibility among women has started in the state.”

About 500 women drivers will be trained, she pointed out adding, “the intelligent mobility skill centre – centre of excellence for e-vehicles which will be launched shortly by the women, who are currently being trained for ecabs as driver may also upskill and re-skill in the IMSC to further their prospect in advanced skills and even to set up individual entrepreneurial activities.”