UK to establish intelligent mobility skill centre in West Bengal

The UK government on Tuesday released a roadmap for establishing an Intelligent Mobility Skill Centre (IMSC) in West Bengal. The roadmap was unveiled in presence of West Bengal Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim, senior officials from state technical education, and UK government officials, a statement said.

Underlining the UK’s expertise in clean mobility solutions, the project, ASPIRE, has brought together UK-based NPTC Wales and Snap E, an electric taxi provider in Kolkata, to collaborate with the West Bengal government in providing training to women to drive electric cabs, it added.

This initiative will empower women while contributing to air pollution reduction and emission mitigation.

Further strengthening the UK-West Bengal partnership, the UK through its PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transition) program, is engaging with the state department of transport corporation on knowledge exchange regarding strategies for accelerating the adoption of clean mobility, the statement added.

In a testament to the UK’s commitment to building a net-zero future, the British Deputy High Commission Kolkata organised a session on ‘Building a Net Zero Future’ in collaboration with the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it added.

The session brought together 11 UK companies specialising in areas like renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, waste and water management, net-zero standards, and air pollution. The UK delegation, comprising representatives from various sectors, will visit two cities, Kolkata and Chennai, over the next five days. During their time in Kolkata, the delegation will participate in the Bengal Global Business Summit, while in Chennai, they will attend the Green Building Congress.

At the UK Country Session, delegates will explore opportunities for collaboration between Indian and UK companies to promote a net-zero economy and ensure clean growth.