CM distributes 200 bicycles to class 9 girls under vidya vahini Yojna

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday distributed 200 bicycles to Class 9 students of Delhi government schools at the Assembly premises under the ‘Vidya Vahini Yojna’. The opposition AAP MLAs reached the Assembly on bicycles to attend the ongoing Monsoon session, protesting alleged irregularities in the scheme.

The initiative is aimed at making commuting to school easier for girl students while also supporting continuity in their education and promoting their confidence and self-reliance, the Delhi CMO said in a statement. Interacting with the students, the chief minister congratulated them on receiving the bicycles. She said a bicycle is not merely a means of transport but also a way to support girls’ education and help them pursue their dreams, the statement said.  She said around 1.40 lakh Class 9 girl students are being provided bicycles under the scheme this year.  “Investment in girls’ education is an investment in the bright future of society,” she said.

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said on the occasion that the distribution of bicycles to talented girl students is not merely about providing a means of transport but is also an important step towards helping them become self-reliant and pursue their dreams. Criticising the opposition, Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma categorically rejects the allegations regarding the distribution of 1.3 lakh cycles to girl students. 

“The entire procurement has been carried out through transparent open tendering, strictly in accordance with CVC guidelines and prescribed financial procedures. It is unfortunate that the Opposition is trying to create unnecessary controversy around a pro-women initiative aimed at supporting girls’ education and mobility,” he said.

Earlier, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs rode bicycles to the Delhi Assembly on the second day of the Monsoon Session, alleging that the city government bought similar bicycles at a higher price for a welfare scheme.

AAP Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, alleged in a post on X that they had purchased the bicycles for around Rs 4,200 each from a shop, while the current Delhi government bought 1.30 lakh bicycles at Rs 6,957 per unit through a tender. The party alleged that the difference in prices warranted an explanation from the government. The MLAs raised slogans, including “cycle chor kahan milenge”, while riding towards the Assembly.