New rule makes bicycle scheme inconvenient for SC students

Ravinder Saini

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Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, November 25

Class VI students of government schools in the district belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC) are unable to avail of the benefit of the free bicycle scheme due to a modification in the scheme.

As per the new condition, students will now have to buy bicycles on their own and the Department of School Education will reimburse a fixed amount on getting the purchase receipts.

Sources say, “The amendment will inconvenience students who come from a humble background. As a result, more than 95 per cent of the eligible students in the district have not yet bought bicycles”.

The sources say that several parents have also expressed helplessness in buying bicycles. Even, all Block Education Officers (BEOs) have apprised the District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO) of the plight of the parents.

“We have written to the DEEO that students cannot buy bicycles on their own due to their poor financial condition. Hence, they should be given bicycles,” says Sunit Dutt, BEO, Narnaul and Nangal Choudhary.

Under the scheme, only those SC students who cover at least 2 km to go to school in the absence of a government school in their village are entitled to get a free bicycle.

“Earlier, the department followed the tender procedure to buy bicycles for students. The procedure used to take a long time, causing inordinate delay in providing bicycles to students,” says an education official.

Bijender, BEO, Mahendragarh, says that no student in his block has so far bought a bicycle in the past four months. Rajender Singh, BEO, Ateli, says the situation is no different in his block.

Rajesh Kumar, a social activist, says, “How can a poor man spend Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 for buying a bicycle in a situation when he is struggling to make both ends meet”.

Disabling amendment 

• Students will now have to buy bicycles on their own and the Department of School Education will reimburse a fixed amount on getting the purchase receipts.
• These students come from a humble background and consequently more than 95 per cent of them in the district have not yet bought bicycles.