Kolkata, Aug. 26 -- Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday inaugurated the distribution of bicycles for Class IX students under the Sabooj Sathi project at a state government programme held at the ground of Burdwan Municipal Boys School near Curzon
Gate in Burdwan.
"This year, over 12.5 lakh students, including both boys and girls across the state currently studying in Class IX in state schools, will receive bicycles under the Sabooj Sathi scheme. We will be spending Rs 525 crore for this programme," Banerjee said.
According to the Chief Minister, 50000 bicycles will be distributed on Tuesday, and the entire process is expected to be completed shortly.
Since its launch in 2015-16, over 1.38 crore bicycles have been distributed by the state government under Sabooj Sathi in 10 phases, with a total expenditure of Rs 4730 crore.
Sabooj Sathi has gained global recognition, and students have expressed immense happiness at receiving the bicycles, which help them commute to school independently without relying on other transport modes. Banerjee noted on her X handle that during her government's tenure, school dropout rates have declined significantly, and projects like Sabooj Sathi have contributed to this achievement.
She also emphasised that the project is 100 per cent environmentally friendly, extending her congratulations to the students and people of Bengal.
The scheme has received international acclaim, with the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) awarding the winner prize to the Bengal government in September 2020 for the initiative.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.