Odisha’s government just hit a big milestone for women’s empowerment with its ‘Atmanirbhar Mahila SuVahak’ (Ama SuVahak) scheme. This is their flagship program, built to make women in Odisha financially independent by getting them more involved in the transport sector. Instead of just sticking to traditional roles, women can actually own vehicles and take up commercial driving—something that’s closing the gender gap in the state’s transport industry.
At a recent event at Kharavel Bhavan, the government handed car keys to one of the latest beneficiaries. She trained at the Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) in Chhatia back in 2019, and now joins a growing group of women who’ve become commercial drivers. With her, the number of women who’ve become car owners under this scheme jumps to seven. The event was attended by high-ranking officials, including N.B.S. Rajput, Principal Secretary of the Commerce & Transport Department, and Amitabh Thakur, Transport Commissioner.
Now, the financial side of Ama SuVahak is set up to break down the usual barriers in the transport business. The government offers women interest-free loans up to ₹10 lakh, working with different banks. On top of that, the state covers 10% of the vehicle’s ex-showroom price for the down payment. The government also steps in as the guarantor, handling both the credit guarantee charges and all the interest tied to the vehicle loan.