Bhopal, July 10 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will start a free bicycle distribution scheme for the eligible students during the Guru Purnima Mahotsav event, which will be organised at the Kamala Nehru Sandipani Girls School, Tatya Tope Nagar in Bhopal on Thursday.

More than 4.30 lakh eligible students enrolled in government-run schools in Madhya Pradesh will get bicycles in the current academic year 2025-26, according to the Madhya Pradesh School Education Department.

Free bicycle distribution scheme for students will cost an amount of Rs 195 crore to the government. The Madhya Pradesh government had introduced the scheme in 2006 to provide free bicycles to students, particularly tribal girls, to encourage them to continue their education, especially after Class 8.

Initially, the scheme, implemented by the Tribal Affairs Department, aimed to reduce dropout rates and ensure girls can access secondary and higher secondary schools. However, later the scheme was modified and students from all social castes were added under the eligible category, and the students are selected on the basis of distance from home to school.

Students who travel more than two kilometres to reach school are eligible to avail the benefits.

Under the scheme, free bicycles are provided to eligible students for study facilities on first admission in Classes 6 and 9. Reports suggested that 4.50 lakh students were given bicycles in the previous academic year 2024-25, while 4.7 lakh students in the academic year 2023-24.

On this occasion, Chief Minister Yadav will inaugurate the newly constructed, fully equipped building of Kamla Nehru Sandipani Vidyalaya.

The CM posted about the event on his official X handle: “On the occasion of Guru Purnima festival, I will inaugurate the distribution of free bicycles to students at an event organized in Bhopal today…” He also shared a video clip.

Built at a cost of Rs 36 crore, the state-of-the-art campus includes modern laboratories, a well-stocked library, and an auditorium.

The school is also equipped with smart digital classrooms designed to deliver high-quality education. Additional facilities include free coaching for competitive exam preparation, career counselling, and indoor and outdoor sports infrastructure.

To support students commuting from distant areas, a free transport facility has been arranged for children residing within a 10-kilometre radius of the school.

–IANS

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