MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has established the Maharashtra Auto Rickshaw and Meter Taxi Driver Welfare Board to provide social security and welfare benefits to drivers in the unorganised sector. The state government also announced a one-time grant of Rs 10,000 to auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers aged 65 and above.  

State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced that the board was officially established on January 27, marking the birth anniversary of the late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe Saheb. The newly launched welfare board aims to benefit thousands of auto-rickshaw and meter taxi drivers across the state.  

The initiative was conceptualised by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, said Sarnaik. The state government has provided a fund of Rs 50 crore for the smooth functioning of the board, Sarnaik added.  

The board aims to implement several state and central government schemes for eligible drivers. A website has been launched to facilitate the easy online registration of auto-rickshaws and meter taxi drivers for a fee of Rs 500 and an annual subscription of Rs 300.  

Apart from the one-time grant to drivers above 65, other key welfare initiatives include health and insurance benefits, scholarship programs to assist with children’s education, annual awards and recognitions, including the best rickshaw and taxi driver associations, and top-performing rickshaw stands.  

Speaking at the launch of the grant and the welfare schemes, Minister Sarnaik pointed out the string of initiatives that were launched to improve the social and financial security of drivers.  

There are an estimated 4,50,000 auto-rickshaws in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), out of which 300,000 are in the Mumbai suburban district itself, while the taxis in Mumbai city are around 15,000.