Lok Sabha Question No. 2056 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-09
Subject: Shortage of Truck Drivers
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Ganesan Selvam, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare, C.N. Annadurai, Dhanush M Kumar, Gautham Sigamani Pon, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Ratansinh Magansinh Rathod, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Supriya Sadanand Sule

## be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  shortage  of  truck  drivers  in  the  country  has  been reported to the Government and if so, the details thereof along with action taken thereon;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to open truck driving schools in the country and if so, the details and the status thereof, Statewise including Gujarat;
- (c) whether the Government has taken steps in the interest of the truck drivers like  extending  provident  fund  and  insurance benefits to them and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the truck drivers are harassed by highway police and other  agencies  and  if  so,  the  number  of  such  cases  reported during the last three years and the current year;
- (e) whether the Government has issued any instructions to these agencies not to harass truck drivers and fleet owners; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and  the other corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2056 ANSWERED ON 9 TH  DECEMBER, 2021

## SHORTAGE OF TRUCK DRIVERS

## 2056.  SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

SHRI SELVAM G.:

SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S.:

SHRI RATANSINH MAGANSINH RATHOD:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a)      During  the  oxygen  crisis  in  the  month  of  March -April,  2021 shortage  of  technically  qualified  trained  drivers  to  handle  Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) Tankers was reported. Taking into account the continuous  rise  in  requirement  for  transportation  of  liquid  oxygen (LOX),  extended  period  of  oxygen  management,  addition  to  the inventory of cryogenic tankers and high fatigue/ attrition rate due to 24X7 operations, the Ministry issued advisory in May 2021 to States to create a pool of trained drivers for transporting 'hazardous cargo', as implementation of provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 comes under their purview.

Besides, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry on the directions of the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (EG - 2), initiated a skill development program for Liquid Medical Oxygen tanker drivers.  With  the  help  of  Indian  Chemical  Council  (ICC),  Logistics Sector Skill Council (LSSC) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a detailed program for capacity building for heavy commercial drivers was also prepared.

As as per a study conducted in February, 2020 for SaveLIFE Foundation by Marketing and Development Research Associates (MDRA), approximately 25 % to 30% of India's truck lie idle at any given point of time due to shortage of drivers.

- (b)     The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has implemented a national-wide scheme of setting of Driving Training Institutes (DTIs) since FY 2002-03. The scheme was renamed as Institute of Driving Training  &  Research  (IDTR)  in  12th FY  Plan  period  (2012-17)  with central financial assistance of Rs.17.00 crore and land requirement of 10 acre. A new component as Regional Driving Training Centre (RDTCs) with less capacity with financial assistance of Rs.5.00 crore and land requirement (3 acre) as Tier II in the 12th Five Year plan period was added.  The financial implication of IDTR was revised from 17.00 crore to 18.50 crore during the 14th Financial cycle.

The basic objective of the scheme is to set up a full-fledged training institute with driving test track to provide quality training to commercial vehicle drivers, improve road and environment safety and strengthen overall mobility on roads. The details of  main activities/ programmes at these institutions are:

- Impart Induction Training Course in Heavy Motor Vehicle Driving.
- Impart Induction Training Course in Light Motor Vehicles Driving.
- Conduct Training Course for Driving Instructors of Private Driving Schools.
- Conduct three-days Training Course on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Goods.
- Conduct one-day Refresher Training Course on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Goods.
- Conduct Refresher and Orientation Training Course for Drivers who are in service.
- Test and select drivers by various organisations.

Till date, 31 IDTRs and 6 RDTCs have been sanctioned by the Ministry to different States/UTs as detailed in Annexure - I. So far as Gujarat State  is  concerned,  no  proposal  has  been  sanctioned  to  the  State under the scheme.

(c)     The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken various steps in the interest of Drivers including Truck Drivers such as Wayside Amenities, Food Court, Truck Parking Bays etc. on National Highways.

(d) to (f)     The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways administers Motor Vehicles (MV) Act 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) 1989.  However,  its  provisions  are  enforced  by  the  States/UTs.  The Ministry has been issuing advisories to the States/UTs from time to time for enforcement of provisions of MV Act 1988 and CMVR 1989.

Annexure-I

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  2056  ANSWERED  ON  9TH DECEMBER, 2021 REGARDING SHORTAGE OF TRUCK DRIVERS.

State-wise details of Institute of Driving Training & Research (IDTR) and Regional Driving Training Centre (RDTCs) sanctioned by MoRT&H

|   Sl. No. | State             | IDTR/RDTC   | Location        |
|-----------|-------------------|-------------|-----------------|
|         1 |                   | IDTR        | Vijayawada      |
|         2 | ANDHRA PRADESH    | IDTR        | Dasri           |
|         3 |                   | IDTR        | Kurnool         |
|         4 | ASSAM             | IDTR        | Guwahati        |
|         5 | BIHAR             | IDTR        | Aurangabad      |
|         6 | CHHATTISGARH      | IDTR        | Naya Raipur     |
|         7 | HARYANA           | IDTR        | Rohtak          |
|         8 |                   | IDTR        | Bhiwani         |
|         9 | HIMACHAL PRADESH  | IDTR        | Jassur (Kangna) |
|        10 |                   | IDTR        | Sarkaghat       |
|        11 | JAMMU AND KASHMIR | IDTR        | Jammu           |
|        12 | JHARKHAND         | IDTR        | Jamshedpur      |
|        13 | KARNATAKA         | IDTR        | Bellary         |
|        14 | KERALA            | IDTR        | Eddappal        |
|        15 |                   | IDTR        | Indore          |
|        16 | MADHYA PRADESH    | IDTR        | Chhindwara      |
|        17 |                   | IDTR        | Pune            |
|        18 |                   | IDTR        | Lature          |
|        19 |                   | IDTR        | Nagpur          |
|        20 | MAHARASHTRA       | RDTC        | Nagpur          |
|        21 |                   | RDTC        | Vardha          |
|        22 |                   | RDTC        | Nanded          |
|        23 |                   | RDTC        | Amaravati       |
|        24 | MANIPUR           | IDTR        | Imphal          |
|        25 | NAGALAND          | IDTR        | Dimapur         |
|        26 | ODISHA            | IDTR        | Jajpur          |
|        27 |                   | IDTR        | Rajsamand       |
|        28 | RAJASTHAN         | RDTC        | Ajmer           |
|        29 | SIKKIM            | IDTR        | Pakyong         |
|        30 | TELANGANA         | IDTR        | Sircilla        |

|   31 | TRIPURA       | IDTR   | Agartala        |
|------|---------------|--------|-----------------|
|   32 |               | IDTR   | Kanpur          |
|   33 | UTTAR PRADESH | IDTR   | Rai Baraily     |
|   34 | UTTARAKHAND   | IDTR   | Dehradun        |
|   35 | DELHI         | IDTR   | Sarai Kale Khan |
|   36 |               | IDTR   | Kolkatta        |
|   37 | WEST BENGAL   | RDTC   | Kolkatta        |

*****