LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit (SRU) has launchedits much-awaited programme to provide customised motorcycles at subsidisedrates to women.
The programme titled ‘Women on Wheels: Motorbike Subsidy Scheme’, is PhaseII of its Women-on-Wheels project. It has been started with thecollaboration of transport department and Bank of Punjab.
Under the programme, more than 3,000 motorcycles will be distributed amongwomen of Punjab at subsidised rates through a 100 percent transparentballoting process. Candidates can apply for the campaign starting fromJanuary 22, while the deadline is February 25.
SRU Director General Salman Sufi said the campaign has been designedfollowing Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif’s promise to empower women in orderserve as a powerful counter narrative at a time when bigotry and attacks onwomen are rising in the country.
SRU, in 2015, introduced the Women-on-Wheels project in collaboration withthe respective City Traffic Police and district governments to empowerwomen by providing bike riding training free of cost. The campaign hitLahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Sargodha where more than 3,000women have been trained so far and further candidates are being trained.
Women aged between 18-40 with a valid learner’s licence or actuallicence can avail subsidised motorcycles scheme. All relevant documentationincluding passport-sized photograph, valid CNIC, Punjab domicilecertificate, Secondary School/Matriculation Certificate, and in case of thestudent, an affidavit stating that maximum income does not exceed Rs30,000along with Rs3000 non-refundable application fee needs to be submitted toBoP branches.
Under this scheme, the Punjab government will be providing equity subsidyof Rs24,975 and 100 percent markup on the motorcycle. The applicant willmake down payment worth of Rs27,000 and payment in 12 easy installments ofRs1,856 monthly.
Women interested in availing the training can visit any of SRU & PunjabTraffic Police training centres. The ultimate aim of the WoW campaign is topromote mobility of women in Punjab and empower them to become independentindividuals.