A group of women belonging to self-help groups is excited about learning to drive an e-rickshaw as this skill will help them earn and be independent. They will be plying the rickshaws in Dantewada town of South Bastar district. The unique public transport system to be introduced in the remote Naxal affected region is called "Danteshwari Sewa".

 The "E-rickshaw" transport service will be run by nearly 200 SHGs which have been identified for the purpose. The first phase of the project will be inaugurated by chief minister Raman Singh by handing over 51 e-rickshaws to SHG members.

The service will be a great help to the villagers who have to walk a few kilometres to go to the market or to reach the main road from where they can get a bus. The women can also earn money by operating this service.

 Dantewada district collector Saurabh Kumar and Zila Panchayat chief executive officer Gaurav Singh said that initially, 51 e- rickshaws would be provided in the first phase of the project and later on it will be introduced in more villages.

The cost of an e-rickshaw is about Rs 1.70 lakh, 20 percent of which will be borne by SHG while the remaining 80 percent would be funded through District Mineral Fund (DMF).

Kumar informed that all the vehicles would have a first aid kit and ten charging stations would be set up at different places to enable to charge e-rickshaws, whenever required.

The e-rickshaws will have GPS and women operators will be provided with smartphones which will have an SOS button that once hit would simultaneously send messages to nearest police station control rooms that monitor movement of vehicles.