New Delhi, Oct. 22 -- The Delhi government aims to distribute 40,000 bicycles to Class IX girl students by the end of October under its Vidya Vahini scheme, with 28,000 bicycles already distributed as of October 15. The government has allocated Rs.90 crore for the initiative, which seeks to improve school access and encourage girls to continue their education, with distribution to the remaining beneficiaries scheduled for completion by November 2026.
Under the scheme, 1.30 lakh girl students enrolled in Delhi government schools are expected to receive bicycles. The distribution is being conducted through programmes organised across districts, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Education Minister Ashish Sood, Cabinet ministers, MPs and local MLAs participating in events in their respective constituencies.
Emphasising the role of mobility in girls' education, Sood said, "This bicycle is not just a gift or a means of transport, it is a wheel of empowerment and self-reliance."
He added that the scheme aims to ensure that distance and lack of transportation do not interrupt girls' education. "Through Vidya Vahini, we are ensuring that no daughter's education is halted by distance or lack of transport. We are giving them the wings, and wheels, to ride towards their dreams with pride," he said. The minister also contrasted the initiative with spending on publicity campaigns, saying the government had chosen direct investment in girls' futures over "multi-crore ad campaigns". He described the confidence and happiness of students receiving bicycles as the scheme's real advertisement.
Launched by CM Gupta on July 31 at the Sports Complex in East Vinod Nagar, the scheme initially saw the distribution of bicycles to more than 3,000 Class IX students. At the launch, the Chief Minister announced that nearly 1.40 lakh girl students would receive bicycles in a phased rollout, with the programme intended to continue in subsequent years.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.