Bright future

Ranchi, June 12: After tribal boys, now it is the turn of the women in the community to cash in on the booming aviation sector.

Under a welfare scheme, the state government has decided to impart airhostess training to the women belonging to the SC, ST and OBC categories.

Earlier, the government had selected 25 tribal boys for commercial pilot licence training.

Tribal welfare commissioner Abinash Kumar said 25 girls would be selected for the airhostess training. The number of seats for the next batch would depend on the impact of the introductory scheme. Interested candidates would be called for the selection round through advertisements in newspapers and the candidates would be selected on the basis of written and physical tests.

Kumar said the cost of imparting training to the girls would be borne by the welfare department. The cost of the training would be announced after a tender is floated to start the institute and the details are finalised.

“The department would invite tenders from institutes imparting airhostess training. Details of the likely cost can be revealed only after the tender is finalised,” said a source in the department.

Welfare department minister Joba Manjhi had approved the scheme last week, said sources, after discussions with officials. The minister wanted these girls from Jharkhand given an opportunity in those fields generally considered as not their cup of tea, said the sources.

To make the dream successful, the government has decided to reduce the educational requirement. “Though the entry eligibility in an airhostess training programme is Plus Two or graduation, we have decided to consider all those who have passed Intermediate,” said an official.

This would be the second ambitious welfare plan of the state government involving tribals and aircraft.

In the earlier one, tribal boys were sent for pilot training. The beneficiaries of the plan had to agree to sponsor an educated but unemployed youth for pilot training after getting placed. Such a condition would be imposed on the girls, too, said the department sources.