LUCKNOW, April 6 -- The Uttar Pradesh government has launched a 'Safe Mobility' programme to deploy women e-rickshaw pilots across the state, aiming to ensure safer and more accessible transport for girls and working women, a government spokesman said here on Sunday. "The initiative has been launched in Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kaushambi, and Jhansi, and will soon be extended to eight additional districts, including Lucknow and Prayagraj. In the first phase, 1,000 e-rickshaws will be distributed to women from self-help groups," he said. Implemented under the Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission with support from development alternatives, the programme has already onboarded 119 women as e-rickshaw owners, trained 629, and facilitated driving licences for 244. The spokesman said women-driven e-rickshaws were emerging as a reliable solution to safe travel in rural areas while also creating sustainable livelihoods. Beneficiaries are earning over Rs 3 lakh annually on average. The government expects the initiative to improve access to schools and workplaces, generate local employment and strengthen women's economic independence, positioning Uttar Pradesh as a model for women's safety and empowerment....