Karnataka begins distributing bicycles to poor school-going girls

The Karnataka Government has begun distributing bicycles to high school girls belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families across the state as an incentive to pursue their education.

Under the ambitious programme of the Karnataka Government, an estimated 175,000 girls belonging to BPL families and studying in high schools across the state will become eligible to receive the bicycles, each of which is worth Rs 2,300.

The programme was launched with much fan fare at a function organised at a government junior college in Devanahalli near Bangalore. About 250 high school girls astride their new bicycles rode in front of Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to mark the launch of the programme.

Government officials said a total of 116,875 girls studying in Government high schools and 58,683 girls studying in Government aided high schools will receive the bicycles supplied by leading bicycle manufacturers during the coming few weeks. The bicycle scheme is expected to cost the Government Rs 356 million.

During the launch of the programme, Karnataka’s Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj Horatti cautioned the beneficiaries against misusing the bicycles. “The bicycles given to girl students of High Schools should not be used by either their brothers or fathers. Also, the bicycles should be used only for going to school. It should not be used to either bring hay from the fields or to fetch provisions from the market”, he said.

Horatti called upon the general public to bring to the notice of the concerned authorities if they spot the bicycles being misused.