Only girls in secondary classes to get free govt bicycles

With the recent Government Resolution (GR) passed on February 20, the Gujarat education department has limited the scheme for girls of Class IX only. In the original scheme there was no criteria of family income.

It was revealed that these changes have been suggested from the higher authorities after meetings were held with the education minister and the chief minister. The previous scheme with an estimated amount of Rs 7 crore was approved as a part of the education budget ending on March 31, 2015 and as many as 30,424 bicycles were scheduled to be given to students falling under the three kilometre criteria.

“Only girls seeking admission in Class IX and as per the income criteria laid down by the Social Justice and Empowerment department are eligible for this scheme,” stated the GR. As per the income criteria, the family income for urban areas should be below Rs 68,000 and Rs 47,000 for rural areas.

Another condition is that the girls from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe and economically and socially backward classes already availing bicycles would not be eligible for this scheme. The condition of school being beyond three kilometre stays. Also, against the previous provision of bicycles to be provided by Gujarat Rural Industries Marketing Corporation Limited (GRIMCO), now the entire grant has to be handed over to it.

The scheme was floated in place of transport allowance as mandated by the Right to Education (RTE) Act for upper primary students after deliberations over its misuse by authorities and beneficiaries. The cost of each bicycle was decided to be up to Rs 3,500.

As at the time of notifying this scheme, Right to Education (RTE) Act was cited as saying, “For the implementation of the RTE Act in the state, the students of upper primary schools should have a school within a distance of three kilometres. Any village where the school is beyond this distance and where students are going to a government or granted upper primary or secondary school in a nearby village, for these students, without considering any family income, this scheme has been introduced.”

The recent notification lacks clarity on the amount per bicycle as well as the number of bicycles to be provided. There is also no clarity on whether it will apply to only government schools or to granted schools as well.