Magma and PCRA join hands to make our environment and highways a safer haven
~ Target to save close to 40 lac liters of diesel ~
~ Carbon emission to be reduced by over 10,000 tonnes~
~ Improve income and well being of truck drivers~
New Delhi, 11th August’2015: Magma Fincorp Ltd., a premier NBFC which tied up with Government of India concern Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) recently, today announced having imparted training to over 8000 Truckers in 11 transport nagars in the country, plans to train over 1 Lac truckers in the first phase of its “Truckers Wellbeing” campaign. The company which is aiming to achieve three unique feats – of reducing environment pollution, increasing efficiency and profitability of the truckers community and imparting safer driving skills to the drivers is poised to train over 40,000 truckers in the first year of the initiative.
Magma and PCRA, in a joint press meet held today in the national capital, also showcased the E-toilets and Porta Cabins which have been set up at high traffic transport nagars across the country to improve truckers’ hygiene conditions and to train the drivers. PCRA is extending full support with trainers and technical knowhow to the initiative. This nationwide activity is undertaken to conduct regular health checkups and counseling and train truck drivers to become more fuel efficient, increase savings, reduce carbon emission and in the process make Indian highways a safer haven in terms of environment and accidents.
In the first phase, 13 high traffic transport nagars have been identified in the country where permanent Porta cabins and E-toilets are being installed. Since the campaign was launched on 30th March’2015 at Karimnagar Transport Nagar, Magma has already activated 11 locations and two more locations will be activated shortly. These 11 locations are in Sangrur, Hapur, Faridabad, Kanpur, Karnal, Hissar, Bhillai, Patna, Vijaywada, Karimnagar, Yashwantpur.
At these locations, the porta cabins are being used to hold workshops for drivers on improving driving habits for better mileage and fuel conservation. Fuel makes a critical expense for the truck drivers. Efficient driving habits can help truckers save 22 litres of fuel in 1000 kms trip. Hence reduce the truckers operating costs, pollution and increased savings. Clean sanitation drive through E-toilets will impact and improve hygiene of over 10 lakh people. In the first phase, the facility will provide direct health benefit to over 1 lakh truck drivers and the training workshops have the potential to save about 40,00,000 litres of fuel and reduce carbon emission by about 10,000 tonnes or 100,16,312 kgs approximately.
India has approximately 6 million truck drivers. On an average a trucker drives about 10576 kilometres in a month, becoming vulnerable to eye sight issues, unhealthy eating habits, posture problems, common ailments of cough and cold due to fatigue, and the danger of HIV. Club this with poor highway safety condition and the highways become most vulnerable to accidents. In India, drivers’ fault account for 78.5% (3,81,648 accidents) of total accidents and more than 30% of the total road accident deaths are associated with trucks annually. Magma at these Porta cabins is also organising regular bi-monthly free consultation, diagnosis and basic medication, well being, posture correction and de-stress workshops for the drivers.
Petroleum Conservation Research Association, under Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been aggressively working on spreading awareness about the urgency of conserving petroleum products since 1978. They have the depth of experienced and trained staff. Magma Fincorp has tied up with Petroleum Conservation Research Association and the training sessions are being conducted by Petroleum Conservation Research Association certified trainers to batches of 15 drivers each. Trucker drivers get a ‘Certification of Excellence’ on behalf of Petroleum Conservation Research Association and Magma.
Appreciating Magma’s initiative and talking about the workshops, Mr. Nilkanth S. Avhad, Executive Director, PCRA said, “Since its inception, PCRA (Petroleum Conservation Research Association under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural gas) engaged in promoting fuel conservation and its efficient utilization in major sectors of economy namely Agriculture, Transport, Domestic, Industry and Commercial through its various activities. It helps the government in proposing policies and strategies for petroleum conservation, aimed at reducing excessive dependence of the county on oil requirement. Over the years, PCRA has enlarged its role in improving productivity in use of various sources of energy, for the purpose of achieving environment protection and sustainable development. As far as Transport sector is concerned there is a saving potential of about 20 % in this sector. ED, PCRA appreciated the joint initiative of M/s. MAGMA & PCRA for conducting Drivers training Workshops at various Transport Nagar locations across India, covering about 8000 drivers under the programme till July, 2015.”
Mr. Sachin Khandelwal, Chief Sales Officer, Magma Fincorp Ltd. added that “Magma has been regularly conducting free pollution and driver health check camps for truckers over the last few years. However, the partnership with PCRA has enabled us to give structured and qualified driving habits training to close to 1 lac truck drivers in a year. The training will not only help with fuel conservation but also directly impact the savings for truck drivers. Our basic calculations and as per inputs from PCRA';s training programs in the past, show that the saving could be as high as even Rs. 1.5 lac per year. This project is very close to us as we have been continuously working to empower small trucker owner cum drivers with financial aid to help them realize their smallest dreams. And now, a saving of this nature will help them tide over rough economic times”
For media related queries, please contact:
Warm Regards
Ashwati R.Nair
Media Executive Relation
M: 8527682365