Sri Vijaya Puram, Mar. 4: Providing Government services at the doorsteps of citizen have always been at the forefront of A&N Administration’s vision. Transport Department apart from providing public transport services in the UT also undertakes various registration and driving license services. It has issued licenses to Motor Driving Schools to impart training in driving of motor vehicles for different class of vehicles. At present, 36 private motor driving schools are operating in South Andaman and N & M Andaman but none in Nicobar District. Observing that no motor driving school is operating in the southern group of Islands, Chief Secretary, A & N Administration directed Transport Department to take necessary action for imparting skill development training to particularly the local youths of Nicobar District in various Technical Trades including imparting driving skills.
Complying with the directions, Transport Department has established the first Motor Driving School which is owned by the Government within the premises of STS Unit Car Nicobar to provide training in driving LMV& HMV class of vehicles.
The new Motor Driving School was virtually inaugurated by the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS, today in the presence of all senior Officers of Andaman & Nicobar Administration and Tribal leaders of Car Nicobar.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Secretary emphasized on the need for extending all the benefits covered in various programs of the Government to all the residents of the Islands. Opening of a Driving School will not only allow the local residents, especially the tribal, males as well as females to learn correct method of motor vehicle driving but also give them an additional employment opportunity and empower them. It was directed to ensure coverage of maximum number of tribal youths for development of their driving skills by making the training affordable.
Prior to the inauguration, a brief on the necessity for the School and process of establishment of the Driving School was given by the Transport Department through a short video. It was also informed that no new infrastructure has been created for this in the establishment of the School but it was done with the available infrastructure and resources.
This Motor Driving School has been equipped with classrooms, simulator, sign boards, spare parts, dual control vehicles, equipments, tools etc as per the norms provided in the Central Motor Vehicle Laws. The training will be imparted by the Motor Vehicle Inspector and senior drivers posted at STS Unit Car Nicobar.
The Department has started receiving good number of requests from the local residents for obtaining training on driving of motor vehicles and the enthusiasm shows that the applications are bound to surge in future. In another activity related to skilling of local youths, Transport Department has already engaged three local youths of Car Nicobar under the Apprenticeship program in the field of Motor Mechanic and auto Electrician and they have started taking the training in Car Nicobar Workshop of Transport Department. More eligible youths will be covered under the program.
A local level program was also organized in the premises of STS Unit Car Nicobar where the plaque of the Driving School was unveiled by the Deputy Commissioner, Nicobar District in the presence of Tribal Captains and local residents.
Local tribal leaders have also expressed their gratitude for establishing the driving school in Car Nicobar as it will allow the locals to learn driving in their localities and they do not have to move out to other places for this purpose. This Motor Driving School will immensely benefit the local tribal youths aspiring to obtain driving license as earlier they were forced to visit Sri Vijaya Puram causing heavy financial burden owing to the additional cost of fooding and lodging apart from the driving school fee. The un-employed youths and especially the tribal community will now have an opportunity of self-employment by way of gaining various life skills and empowering themselves. They can also become eligible for recruitment to the posts of various Government jobs by acquiring these skills.
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