State Government has sanctioned Rs 47 crore to distribute free bicycles to more than 1.50 lakh Government school girls of Class XI and XII under Mai Bhaggo Viddya scheme during current financial year.
In all, free bicycles would be provided to 1,52,330 girls studying in post-metric classes in the State Government schools. “The entire process for distribution of free bicycles under Mai Bhago Scheme is completed by the Department. Bicycles would be handed over to the girl students of Class XI and XII within two months,” said state Social Securities and Women and Child Development Minister Madan Mohan Mittal. Mittal said that Education Department has provided the data of girl students studying in government schools of each district.
“As per figures provided by the Education Department, total 82,244 class XI and 70086 class XII girl students would benefit from the scheme this year,” he added. He said that Mai Bhago Scheme was launched in 2011-12 and 1,11,049 government school girls of Classes XI and XII benefited from it with the personal initiatives of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to provide better opportunities to girls for higher studies. He added that results are already visible by decrease in the dropout rate of girl students from schools. “Punjab Government distributed over 1,11049 bicycles to the girl students studying in class XI and XII with the cost of Rs 30 crore last year,” he said.