Shortage of 22 lakh skilled drivers in India: Nitin Gadkari

During the Question Hour in Lok Sabha, Gadkari said the Centre has launched a Rs 4,500 crore scheme for setting up training institutes for drivers.  According to a World Bank report, India has a shortage of 22 lakh drivers, he said. The minister said the country also lacked proper driving training facilities, leading to many accidents and deaths. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has started a Rs 4,500 crore scheme to set up driving training institutes across the country in a phased manner to set up 1,600 such institutes in all states and Union Territories, he said. Gadkari said these will generate over 60 lakh employment. He said all the states and UTs were requested to send suitable proposals for setting up of Institute of Driving Training & Research (IDTRs), Regional Driving Training Centres (RDTCs) and Driving Training Centres(DTCs), including the cluster approach. The minister said about 1.8 lakh people die every year due to road accidents and many of them due to untrained drivers.

The government aims to improve road safety and reduce accidents through better training and infrastructure. According to a report, there are around 6 million trucks on the roads in India and only 3.6 million drivers available. This means many trucks remain idle due to the lack of drivers. One major reason for this shortage is low salaries, as truck drivers earn ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 per month, while city cab drivers make up to ₹30,000.  The report further suggests that health problems are another big issue for truck drivers in India. More than 50 per cent of drivers develop serious health problems, such as back pain and cervical issues, by the age of 40-42.

 The challenging work conditions and lack of proper medical care make the situation worse.