Uber partners with Army Welfare Placement Organization (AWPO) to enlist ex-servicemen as Uber drivers for a program is called UberFAUJI

Next time you book an Uber cab, your driver may be a former Army man.

The app-based taxi firm is aiming to enlist ex-servicemen as Uber drivers, a move that could help boost the image of the company that has suffered after the Uber cab rape case. They have partnered with Army Welfare Placement Organization (AWPO) under the Ministry of Defence , a veteran placement agency, according to a statement on their official website.

The program is called UberFAUJI and is based on the similar UberMILITARY initiative in the US.

“It is our honour to provide (them) access to opportunities for entrepreneurship and empowerment on the Uber platform. A jawan who retires in his 30s gets a basic pension of Rs 7,605 per month, while an Uber driver can earn anywhere between Rs 65,000 and Rs 80,000 per month," Amit Jain, head of Uber India, was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

The move was welcomed by the Army as well.

According to a report by the Business Standard, AWPO has around 100,000 ex-servicemen and most of them are eligible to drive with Uber. The agreement also makes it easier for the veterans to own a car, instead of only driving one. They can own a taxi for only Rs 30,000 under a vehicle financing scheme being offered by the firm, reported Hindustan Times.

Even before this agreement, Uber has employed hundreds of ex-servicemen for the past two years. On Independence Day, they featured a special video as a tribute to them.