Cab aggregator applications company Uber on Thursday announced the launch of UberSHAAN, an initiative aimed at creating 1 million livelihood opportunities as micro-entrepreneurs in India by 2018.

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The UberSHAAN will focus at expanding economic opportunities across the spectrum and will provide access to skill development and driver training to the unskilled, the statement said.

The initiative will also aim to help trained drivers receive commercial licenses and support the entrepreneurial ambitions of licensed drivers through vehicle financing and leasing solutions.

Launching the initiative at the 9th Global Skills Summit at FICCI, Uber also announced partnerships with Maruti Suzuki and National Skills Development Corp (NSDC) in support of this vision.

"Through concerted efforts towards skill development and entrepreneurship building, we can mobilise the untapped potential of millions of Indians and support them in their journey towards self reliance and micro entrepreneurship," said Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy.

"In this context, UberSHAAN`s vision to skill and empower 1 million individuals in the next two years and help them turn micro-entrepreneurs is creditable," he added.

"Uber is committed to creating more economic opportunities and extends full support to the government`s Skill India and entrepreneurship building initiatives," said President Amit Jain of Uber India.

"With UberSHAAN, our plan is to rapidly scale India`s entrepreneurial base and generate 1 million livelihood opportunities on the Uber platform by 2018," said Jain. 

As part of the agreement signed with Maruti, the two will conduct a four-month pilot in Delhi NCR, Hyderabad and Chennai and organise driver training and on-boarding programmes, which is required to join the Uber platform. 

On completion of training and receipt of a commercial licence, Uber will also be supporting the journey of successful candidates by offering vehicle financing and leasing solutions. 

Based on the outcome of the pilot project, the partnership will be expanded to other cities across India, the statement said.

Through its partnership with NSDC, Uber will support driver training at NSDC training centres nationwide that promote skill building in the automobile sector. Eligible drivers will be offered vehicle financing and leasing solutions from Uber.