PMPML chairman says 830 of 1,660 vacancies to be filled by women
PMPML chairman says 830 of 1,660 vacancies to be filled by women
Reservation for women conductors in the city bus service is set to go up to 50 per cent. Earlier, the reservation was 33 per cent for women, and a recruitment advertisement in local newspapers had appeared in this regard on September 26, 2010. 
Welcome move: Trupti Pathak
Now the higher reservation has boosted the morale of women candidates who had applied for the post of conductor and are waiting for their interviews at the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML).
A total of 33,767 applications have been received for the job of conductor, from both men and women.u00a0 
Sulochana More are conductors in PMPML buses. file pics
"Yes, as a state policy we are recruiting 830 women conductors out of the total 1,660 vacancies," said R N Joshi, chairman and MD, PMPML. "Currently, we are busy scrutinising the applications of all the candidates and shall call them soon. The actual selection and recruitment of women conductors along with male conductors shall happen by September this year."
He said recruitment of women conductors in such big numbers was happening for the first time at the PMPML.
"We shall give the selected candidates proper training soon," Joshi said. While reservation for women drivers was also 33 per cent, PMPML found no applicants. The job requires a driving licence for heavy vehicles and some experience. "So far no woman has made any application to us for the post of driver," said Satish Kulkarni, joint managing director, PMPML.u00a0According to Kulkarni, the PMPML was in the process of recruiting 547 women bus conductors and has so far processed 980 applications.
"Our present preparation is for the 33 per cent reservation for women candidates, but we shall switch over to 50 per cent reservation. We shall expedite the process as soon as the government resolution (GR) reaches us," he said. According to Ashok Shinde, senior officer, HR, PMPML, all the present posts for conductors are non-permanent and on contract basis, but these become permanent at a later point in time.
"With the DA and daily wage act, we pay between Rs 280 and Rs 295 per day in the beginning," he said. "Minimum qualification for the candidate is SSC pass." Trupti Pathak, a PMPML conductor who is presently working as a ticket booking clerk at Swargate bus terminus, welcomed the increase in quota for women.
"I must thank the government that a public transport service like the PMPML is getting a good number of jobs reserved for women to serve the public. I am happy that many young women shall have a unique career option."
3,883
Total number of bus conductors currently with PMPML
10
No of women bus conductors
2,901
Number of bus drivers
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