New Delhi: Delhi govt has distributed 28,000 bicycles to Class IX girl students under the Vidya Vahini Scheme as of Oct 15 and aims to take the number to 40,000 by month-end.
The remaining bicycles are scheduled to be distributed by Nov, said a senior official.
The Rs 90-crore scheme aims to provide bicycles to 1.3 lakh Class IX girl students in govt schools. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in Delhi Stay updated with the latest Delhi news.
Sood said the scheme was intended to go beyond providing a means of transport and help girls become self-reliant. The sheer joy and self-confidence on the faces of these young girls is our real advertisement,” he said. He said the bicycle distribution programme was part of the govt’s effort to give students access to modern facilities and opportunities with dignity.
The initiative is aimed at improving mobility and school attendance among girls. Chief minister Rekha Gupta, education minister Ashish Sood, and cabinet ministers, MPs and local MLAs are hosting district-level distribution programmes in their respective constituencies to deliver bicycles to eligible students. “This bicycle is not just a gift or a means of transport — it is a wheel of empowerment and self-reliance. We chose direct investment in our daughters’ futures over multi-crore ad campaigns. He added that distance and lack of transport should not become obstacles to a girl’s education. The education minister also linked the scheme to the broader changes in Delhi’s public education system, referring to the shift from classrooms where children sat on jute mats to facilities such as smart boards and language labs. Download the TOI App.