The Kerala government on Wednesday cleared the appointment of women drivers in government and other public sector offices, The Hindu reported. A state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a statement, said that the decision had been taken to “ensure gender equality in all walks of society.”

Presently, Kerala has women drivers for private buses, taxis, autorickshaws and ambulances. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has just one woman driver out of 11,000. The Chief Minister’s Office said recruitment rules will be amended to enable women drivers to join the workforce.

“We have found that there is no need to reserve the post of drivers in government departments and public sector enterprises to men,” Kerala Minister for Social Justice, Women and Child Development KK Shylaja said. “The department has carried out a study and has found that the jobs need not be reserved for men and that women can handle this job with ease.”

The decision will help increase the number of employment opportunities for women and change their perception in society, she said.

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