Cab aggregator Uber will offer free rides to assault survivors in two Kerala districts, announced Health and Social Justice Minister KK Shailaja. The free rides will be made available to women and child survivors in connection with their medical and legal necessities.
In a statement, the Minister said that Uber's free services are part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Uber's free service will also be available to help rescue assault survivors, said Shailaja. The free rides will be made available as per the request of officials of the police department and child welfare department. The service will be available in two Kerala districts- Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram.
Uber had earlier this year announced 12,000 free rides to people who have various degrees of blindness, care givers and teachers in Delhi. The initiative was in partnership with National Association for the Blind (NAB). Free rides reportedly worth Rs 25 lakhs are valid till the year end.
The Kerala government has not announced if Uber's initiative in the state is time bound. In a recent Facebook post, Health Minister KK Shailaja said that as part of the 'Abhayakiranam' program to help relatives look after destitute and widowed women in the state, the government has utilised Rs 1.42 crore this year. The scheme provides monthly aid of Rs 1,000 to the destitute women. The scheme was started after the LDF government came to power.
The state government's welfare scheme of free food kits to all families across the state during the pandemic was a big hit. It was one of the key schemes widely propagated by LDF candidates across the state during the recent local body polls.