700 women in Punjab to get bikes before Ramazan

1,000 vehicles will be given out in second phase, remaining 1,326 in final one

LAHORE: The Chief Minister's Strategic Reforms Unit (SRU), in collaboration with Transport Department and Bank of Punjab (BoP), has announced the list of selected applicants who are eligible to become a part of the first phase of the historic Women on Wheels Subsidised Motorbikes Scheme.

For the first phase of the campaign, the motorbikes will be delivered to candidates in May 2018 (before Ramazan) when they will participate in a mega rally event. These candidates have been selected through a transparent and stringent balloting process in which five district verification committees objectively verified the documentation provided.

In the first phase of the campaign, 700 motorbikes will be given out to the candidates. In the second phase, 1,000 motorbikes will be handed over, while the remaining 1,326 will be provided in the last phase.

SRU Director General Salman Sufi said: "The chief minister of Punjab has yet again delivered the foremost movement for women's empowerment in the country: Women on Wheels (WoW). This campaign has prompted social change for a progressive Punjab where women and men are equal partners in development and progress."

The WoW campaign empowers women to reclaim public spaces and inspires them to become agents of change in the country, especially during a time when violence against women in the country dominates national and international headlines.



The call for applications for the Women-on-Wheels Subsidised Motorbikes Scheme closed on March 25. An overwhelming number of applications were received from the districts of Lahore, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Multan and Rawalpindi. The finalised selected candidates are currently being informed of the good news by representatives from the BoP and SRU.

The government of Punjab is providing 100% of the markup of the motorbike alongside a subsidy worth of Rs24,975. The customised motorbikes, being offered to the successful applicants, are modified versions of the Honda CD-70 Dream, complete with leg guards. Along with the bike, a customized canvas bag and a pink helmet will also be provided.

The launch of the Women-on-Wheels Subsidised Motorbikes Scheme marks the second phase of the Women-on-Wheels campaign which started off by providing motorbike training to women. The Chief Minister's Strategic Reforms Unit introduced the WoW initiative in collaboration with the respective City Traffic Police and district governments in November 2015 to empower women through free motorcycle trainings.

The campaign has been launched in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Sargodha where it has trained over 3,500 women.

The successful ‘WoW' applicants will now complete all required formalities prior to acquiring the customised Honda CD-70 Dream motorbike. Applicants will then have to submit a monthly installment of Rs1,856 for a period of 12 months after submission of a down payment and getting authorised motorbike licenses.

The successful applicants will be provided with the keys of the motorbike in their respective districts during a series of events as part of the "Women on Wheels Mega Rally".

 

This will entail a series of parallel rallies taking place in Lahore, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Multan and Rawalpindi where successful applicants will ride their customised motorbikes in a massive show of solidarity for the cause of women's empowerment.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2018.