Bengaluru: The Yuva Chintana Foundation (YCF) is a Bengaluru-based organisation that provides training to women in order to enable them to drive electric autos in the city. The autos are used to ferry passengers as well as deliver goods, according to a report by DHNS.
YCF is operated by Anupama Gowda. Speaking to DHNS, she said, “These (the trainees) are women who are largely domestic workers or are looking at being more entrepreneurial.”
YCF also provides jobs and helps structure the state government’s smart city programmes for women.
The foundation is planning to deploy 250 trained female drivers within the BBMP limits and an additional 300 female drivers across Karnataka. Meanwhile, the BBMP has announced pink-coloured autos for experienced women drivers under the Sarathi scheme.
Self-defence and skill development is also a part of the 45-day training period which includes the development of emotional, physical, and communication skills among the trainees.
Gowda further said, “With this, we are trying to encourage the women outside Karnataka as well to understand the importance of electric mobility and become entrepreneurs.”
The autos are now plying in areas such as Dasarahalli, Whitefield, and Yelachinahalli.
Elaborating on the benefits of using an e-auto, Gowda said, “The use of swappable batteries, and few e-pilot charging points near Halasura and Indira Nagar will not provide more complications, though the journey starts from charging the auto at home itself.
“Going forward, we are also planning to collaborate with online auto aggregators like OLA and Uber,” she added.
The Yuva Chintana Foundation (YCF) also helps women get loans from national banks.
For more details, call +91-9945002529
