Kolkata, Sept. 29 -- The BJP government has given Mamata Banerjee's 'Sabuj Sathi' a new name - 'Sarathi' - with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday announcing an expansion of the bicycle scheme to include Class VIII students from the next fiscal, instead of the existing eligibility from Class IX onwards.
Launching the 'Sarathi' scheme at Madhusudan Pal Chowdhury High School in Howrah's Byantra, Adhikari also invited entrepreneurs to manufacture pushbikes in the state, offering potential investors land and procurement contracts.
The previous government had started distributing bicycles among the school students under the 'Sabuj Sathi' scheme. The chief minister said Rs 300 crore has been allocated as a composite grant for schools under the 'Sarathi' scheme.
Adhikari said that his government will distribute bicycles to 12.59 lakh students during the current academic year under the rebranded 'Sarathi' scheme. The initiative is aimed at supporting students by facilitating their commute to educational institutions.
Speaking to the media, Adhikari took a dig at former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying: "Earlier, components were brought from Punjab, and bicycles were assembled here. From now on, everything will be manufactured here. I am sorry to say that the relatives of the former chief minister used to get the work orders. We have changed that system."
Adhikari also stated that the state government will set up bicycle factories in the state. He said: "We will not only provide land to entrepreneurs who will set up bicycle factories in this state, but also have plans to sign agreements with them to buy their products. Our government will follow our PM's 'Vocal for Local' policy."
"We will allot land to set up a facility that will manufacture high-quality cycles in Howrah," the chief minister added. Addressing a cycle distribution programme in Howrah, Adhikari alleged the previous TMC government used to procure "substandard" bicycles and hand over those to students under its Sabuj Sathi scheme.
He also accused the previous TMC government of providing student scholarships only to a particular community as part of its "appeasement politics".
"Isn't it a government for every community? Every Sanatani Hindu as well as students of other faiths will get scholarship now," the chief minister announced. Adhikari also made it clear that his government would not provide Rs 10,000 to higher secondary students for smartphones and mobile tablets, as was done by the previous dispensation. Accusing the Left and TMC governments of closing NCC programmes in schools, Adhikari said he has spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the matter.
"Withdrawing English from primary curriculum during the 34 years of Left Rule was a historical blunder. Likewise, removing NCC from the school curriculum and introducing 'Jai Hind Bahini' instead by the previous TMC government was a major blow to the system," Adhikari said.
He added: "We should all have nationalism and be inspired by the ideals of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was instrumental in the carving out of present West Bengal. Today youths must remember his contribution and sacrifice in saving the homeland of Sanatani Hindus."
Adhikari had lunch with school students in Howrah after launching the Sarathi programme.
Earlier in the day, while attending "Janatar Darbar" in Salt Lake, Adhikari attacked Mamata Banerjee over her Delhi visit, saying she has 'Jamaat in one hand, dimagi naxals in other'. Adhikari alleged that Banerjee is aligning with 'Dimagi Naxals' (anti-national forces).
"She (Banerjee) is going to hatch plans with intellectual Naxals. Everyone knows what someone who raises Azadi slogans is capable of. I would urge the Delhi Police and the IB to keep a close watch to ensure there are no meetings with anti-national forces. She has now become the chief advisor to these 'Dimagi Naxals'. With Jamaat in one hand and intellectual Naxals in the other, she is moving forward with both," Adhikari said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.