Gandhinagar:
Next time, you board a Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) bus, don't be surprised if a woman conductor greets you and hands your ticket journey.
As part of Gujarat government's women empowerment programme, GSRTC today handed over appointment letters to 181 women conductors on buses plying on various routes.
"Women have been doing well in almost all fields. GSRTC today handed over appointment letters to 181 women conductors. They will be provided training and this will provide them a source of earning," state finance minister Nitin Patel said on the occasion.
"They have been hired on the same salary scale as men conductors," the minister said, adding that as of now, they will not be given night duty.
"In the 2013-14 budget, Rs 235 crore has been earmarked for buying new buses. Plans are also afloat to introduce 2,880 new buses in the year," he said.
GSRTC managing director Mukesh Puri said that they had invited applications from women for the post of drivers but did not receive any response.
"We are improving the quality of services by replacing the old buses with new ones. Only four per cent overage buses are still plying which will also be replaced soon," Puri said.