Sabuj Sathi: About 12.8 lakh students to get bicycles

So far, about 1.06 crore students studying between classes IX and XII have received bicycles under the scheme. 

MP | 21 Oct 2022 | KOLKATA: About 12.80 lakh students, who will be promoted to class IX, in state-run, sponsored schools and Madrasas will get cycles under the Sabuj Sathi scheme. 

So far, about 1.06 crore students studying between classes IX and XII have received bicycles under the scheme. 

Sabuj Sathi scheme has received international recognition. The then state Finance minister Amit Mitra had announced the scheme at the state Budget during 2015-16. 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee distributed the first batch of bicycles to the students at a function at Gopiballavpur (then in West Midnapore and now in Jhargram district) in October, 2015. 

Senior officials of the Backward Classes Welfare department said the tender to invite the manufactures to supply the bicycles has been floated. Once the firms are selected, procurement will begin. 

The BCW department has given training to unemployed SC/ST youths to maintain the cycles. They have been given the tools. 

The cycles are maintained for a year by the BCW. Every cycle contains a Sabuj Sathi logo, designed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 

The BCW department has names of all the students along with their parents or guardians, names of the schools and details of classes in which they are studying and date of issuance of the bicycles. 

The scheme, the only-of-its kind in the country, has helped the students, particularly in the rural areas immensely. It has brought down the number of child marriages in the rural belt. Each bicycle distributed to the boys costs Rs 3,329 while those given to the girls cost Rs 3,369. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/sabuj-sathi-about-128-lakh-students-to-get-bicycles-496616