To reduce accidents, 3,000 get classes in safe driving

The National Scheduled Caste Finance and Development Corporation (NSCFDC) is set to give wheels, and an employment push, to a group of people from economically weaker sections of the society. Subhendu Ray reports.

The National Scheduled Caste Finance and Development Corporation (NSCFDC) is set to give wheels, and an employment push, to a group of people from economically weaker sections of the society.

HT Image

The corporation, in association with Maruti Driving Training School, has gone ahead and handpicked 3,000 men and women -- all interested in taking up driving as their profession -- and are imparting them safe driving training in Gurgaon so as to bring down the accident rates in the city.

According to data, accidents claimed more than 1.5 lakh lives a year on Indian roads with an average of 2,000 people dying on Delhi's killer roads alone.

Sources said with the training, NSCFDC aimed to create a pool of youths who were ready for employment, keeping in tune with the fast growing demands for drivers in the society. The training was aimed at making the young drivers learn road rules.

Hence, NSCFDC, under the ministry of social justice and empowerment, tied up with Maruti to provide scientific training in driving to a bunch of youths most of who belonged to the economically weaker sections of the society.

The corporation is also paying a stipend of Rs 1,000 to each of the selected trainees.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, HS Kingra, the chief managing director of NSCFDC said they were confident that the training will help the youths become a part of society.

"We are confident that this initiative will help many unemployed youth to take up driving as a profession and learn driving safety rules," Kingra said.