The state transport department on Monday formally signed an agreement with Tata Motors for setting up Jharkhand's maiden training institute for driving heavy commercial vehicles on the outskirts of Jamshedpur, thus powering the job dreams of thousands of aspiring drivers.
State transport commissioner Ratan Kumar signed the MoU along with Tata Motor's Sanjeev Garg, vice-president and global head of customer care (CVBU wing), at chief secretary Rajiv Gauba's office in the presence of chief minister Raghubar Das.
Kumar said the institute would come on a 12-acre plot at Kashida between Jamshedpur and Ghatshila near NH-33, around 25km from the steel city, within a year and a half.
"The Government of India is giving us around Rs 17 crore for this maiden project while Tata Motors will chip in with Rs 2 crore. The state government is offering the 12 acres for free. The institute will go a long way in churning out professional trained drivers in the state," Kumar hoped.
He added that in a week's time, they would form an autonomous society for running the institute after getting it registered under the Societies Registration Act.
"It will have a 10-member committee, comprising five representatives each from the state and Tata Motors and headed by the transport secretary. After the society's formation, land will be transferred for starting civil works," said Kumar, adding that a deadline of one-and-a-half years had been fixed for commencement of the institute.
Detailing on the number of trainees the upcoming institute would cater to annually, Kumar said it would offer driving lessons for both light and heavy vehicles to at least 3,000.
"This apart, short-term refresher courses will be organised for a minimum of 15,000 drivers annually," he informed, adding that the institute would have an innovative driving testing system and camera-based driving skill assessment.
According to transport department officials, once the training institute starts functioning, it will put an end to fake driving licence racket.
This is because Jharkhand doesn't have a driving institute of its own while Government of India rules say that licences for heavy vehicles can only be issued by government-recognised centres.
As a result, aspiring drivers either have to depend on other states for seeking licences or procure fake ones.
"In case of accidents, transporters have to bear heavy losses as insurance companies don't process applications owing to fake licences. Also, from road safety point of view, it is really risky," said another official.
According to rough statistics, the state has around 15,000 heavy vehicles, 80 per cent of which are trucks and trailers, while the rest are buses.
Kumar said that they were also mulling two more such institutes in Seraikela and Dhanbad and a plan in this regard had been forwarded to the chief minister for his approval.
"Union minister of skill development and entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy, during his visit to Ranchi a few months ago, had promised to fund these driving centres under the skill mission project," he added.
The transport department has also floated an expression of interest (EOI), inviting private parties to come up with their own driving institutes.
"We will facilitate them and provide all possible help from our end. It is not feasible for the government to set up driving institutes everywhere. So, we are encouraging private players, which will, in turn, generate some jobs," Kumar said.
