New Delhi, Oct. 16 -- Marking Sharadiya Navratri with a push for girls' education, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday distributed bicycles to 1,400 Class IX students in Shalimar Bagh, saying respect for daughters must translate into equal opportunities, safety and access to education.
Gupta performed Kanya Pujan at CM Shri School before handing over the bicycles to students from government schools in the constituency. The initiative is aimed at easing their commute and helping them continue their studies.
"Kanya Pujan is not just a religious tradition, but a message of respect, equality and recognition of girls' importance," the Chief Minister said, stressing that families, schools and society must work together to nurture girls' aspirations and make them self-reliant.
The distribution is part of the Delhi government's Vidya Vahini scheme, under which 28,000 bicycles have been provided across the city so far. The government has set a target of distributing 1.5 lakh bicycles. Gupta said Class IX was an important stage in students' academic journey, when support and encouragement could help them stay in school. She urged parents to prioritise their daughters' education and ensure regular attendance, while asking teachers and school heads to build students' confidence and leadership skills.
The Chief Minister said empowering girls was not the responsibility of the government or schools alone, and called on every family and community to ensure that no girl was deprived of education.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.