The state government places a high value on women's empowerment, which is why it established the Mission Shakthi department. The Mission's primary goal is to provide women with opportunities for self-sufficiency.
Taking a cue from this, the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to hire women as garbage collection van drivers and loaders. They will be hired through a selection process that has already begun.
These female drivers will operate the battery-powered vehicles recently purchased by the civic body to transport waste around town. Because of their low pollution emissions, these vehicles are environmentally friendly.
They require less upkeep. Furthermore, due to their small size, these vehicles can easily navigate the town's lanes and byways, as well as the neighbouring areas of Burla and Hirakud.
Subhankar Mohanty, the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation's enforcement officer, stated this here.
He stated that the civic body had placed an order for 55 battery-powered vehicles, but only 14 had been delivered in the first phase.
In the first phase, these vehicles will be deployed in the Burla and Hirakud areas, where household waste will be collected separately and transported to dumping yards.
Later, he said, the scheme would be implemented in the remaining wards. In total, 110 women will work in 55 vehicles. One of the women will be a driver, and the other will be a loader. The civic body will provide these women with driving licences and other services.
