Calcutta: The transport department has decided to double the daily limit for the number of applications that can be filed online for luxury-taxi permits under the Gatidhara scheme. The scheme, meant to benefit unemployed youths, also provides app-cab operators a larger field of driver partners to pick from.

"The number of online applicants under Gatidhara is going up from 50 to 100 a day. The idea is to create micro-entrepreneurial opportunities for more youths," transport secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said.

More than 8,000 luxury-taxi permits had been issued last year, the list including Gatidhara applicants. The scheme provides an eligible candidate registered with an employment bank a subsidy of up to Rs 1 lakh to buy a vehicle and a commercial permit.

The Gatidhara target for this year is 5,000 permits."We are willing to share details of applicants with app-cab aggregators," said a senior official of the transport department.

The allocation for Gatidhara in 2017-18 is Rs 90 crore, higher by Rs 15 crore over the previous fiscal's budget.