Petrol Bunk Empowering Disabled & Transgender Communities in Sircilla

NEWS CHARIOT (SIRCILLA, Dec.23) : In a unique initiative, the district administration of Rajanna Sircilla has launched a programme to provide employment opportunities to the persons with disabilities and transgender individuals and has set up a petrol bunk that operates 24/7 offering continuous services.

Under the economic rehabilitation scheme to provide employment to person disabled and transgenders, the state government sanctioned Rs.2.5 crores to set up the petrol bunk with the orders issued by the minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Seethakka and government chief whip Aadi Srinivas to the district administration.

The petrol bunk was established by the IOCL management on December 7 under the supervision of the district collector Sandeep Kumar Jha under the Welfare department at the by-pass road of Venkatapur and Ragudu near to the Government Medical College under Sircilla Municipality.

Collector Sandeep Kumar Jha speaking to Deccan Chronicle said that the officials selected 24 members with disabilities and transgenders from various parts of the district and gave them training for providing employment in the petrol bunk.

Of the 24 members, the officials decided to take 10 members of transgenders but only one member showed interest to work to whom the opportunity was given. The bunk operates 24 hours a day with staff available in three shifts to ensure continuous service. The appointed individuals are given a salary of Rs.18,000 per month and would enhance in future based on the income generated from the petrol bunk, he added.

The collector said within a short period of time the bunk by selling nearly Rs.1 lakh worth petrol and diesel daily has gained a strong reputation for correct quality and quantity of petrol and diesel and also for gaining trust and satisfaction of the customers and appealed to the people of various sections to utilize the petrol bunk services and support persons with disabilities and transgenders individuals in the process.

The disabled persons Vemula Srinivas of Boinapalli mandal said that thinking about the disabled persons and providing employment opportunities is a great thing done by the state government, “I am thankful to the government for giving training in bunk management and providing a job,” he said.

Another disabled person Akula Sandhya expressed thanks to the government and said, “The idea of setting up a petrol bunk to provide employment to people like them is truly remarkable which made them to withstand being financially independent while offering a chance to secure livelihood,” she said.