Minister Shobha Karandlaje Launches Auto Training Drive, Pushes Social Security for 90% Unorganized Workforce

Bengaluru, 12 July 2025:

In a step toward gender-inclusive mobility and economic empowerment, Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, today announced a bold move to extend social security benefits to India’s vast unorganized sector, which accounts for over 90% of the national workforce.

Speaking at the launch of the Auto Driving Skills Training Program for Women & Transgender Persons—an initiative organized by B.PAC in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and supported by CGI as part of its CSR commitment—Karandlaje emphasized the need for inclusive development through economic and social safety nets for informal workers.

“Only 10% of our workforce is in the organized sector. The rest—farmers, construction workers, gig workers, and others in the unorganized economy—must be brought under the ambit of social security,” the Minister stated. She added that the government is working on consolidating 29 labour laws into four simplified codes under the Labour Code reform, including the Social Security Code which aims to provide provident fund, insurance, and other benefits to unorganized workers.

Karandlaje also acknowledged the rise of quick commerce and platform-based gig jobs, noting their potential for massive employment creation. “We are working to ensure social security benefits extend to these emerging job sectors too,” she said.

Empowering Through Mobility: The Training Program

The centerpiece of the event was the formal launch of a free 60-day auto driving training program for over 100 women and transgender individuals in Bengaluru. The program not only teaches driving but also imparts life skills, financial literacy, road safety awareness, and facilitates the procurement of driving licenses.

The initiative is designed to:

Empower women and transgenders from marginalized communities.

Improve first and last-mile connectivity in the city.

Promote financial independence through dignified employment.

Encourage safer and more inclusive public transport by increasing diversity among auto drivers.

Participants will receive support such as rental and fuel assistance, community outreach facilitation, and help accessing seed funding through partnerships with financial institutions.

Voices of Inclusion and Impact

Speaking at the event, Srividya Natraj, Vice President at CGI, said:

“This initiative demonstrates how technology, when combined with strong community partnerships, can drive sustainable, inclusive growth. We’re proud to support a program that tackles real-world challenges and transforms lives.”

Sarika Pradhan, Vice President – HR, CGI Asia Pacific, added:

“True inclusion starts with empowering every individual. Our partnership with B.PAC reflects our belief in creating equitable opportunities for all, especially women and transgender people who are often excluded from formal employment.”

B.PAC members Chitra Talwar and Mimi Partha Sarathy reiterated the organization’s commitment to building a gender-sensitive urban environment and supporting systemic governance reforms in Bengaluru.

About the Organizers

B.PAC (Bangalore Political Action Committee) is a non-partisan non-profit aimed at improving urban governance, infrastructure, and civic engagement in Bengaluru. The organization focuses on transparency, infrastructure development, and supporting capable candidates for public office.

Learn more: https://bpac.in

CGI, one of the world’s largest IT and business consulting firms, operates across 400 locations globally with over 80,000 professionals. Their CSR activities align with sustainable, inclusive growth and digital innovation.

Learn more: https://www.cgi.com

This initiative marks a significant convergence of policy, corporate social responsibility, and civic participation. As Bengaluru drives toward inclusive urban transformation, efforts like these could become a blueprint for gender-sensitive employment and equitable public infrastructure across India.