Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

Cong sees saffron in Raje govt’s orange cycles for school girls

- Aabshar H Quazi

KOTA: Amid allegation­s of “saffronisa­tion of education”, the Vasundhara Raje government in Rajasthan has started free distributi­on of bicycles — painted in orange — among school girls.

A group of Class 9 girls at a government school in Kota have now been gifted the new bicycles under a state government initiative to check drop out rate.

Sources in the state education department informed that 6,283 bicycles would be distribute­d to as many beneficiar­ies at 297 government secondary schools in Kota alone.

The previous Congress government in the state had in 2012-13 proposed to distribute bicycles among girl students, but had not specified any colour.

The bicycles distribute­d till last year were black in colour. The BJP government, last year, decided to change the colour to “orange” and floated tenders. It had planned to distribute the bicycles on August 15. However, it had to defer the plan after the officials found that most of the cycle parts were not in the specified colour. Later a fresh tender was issued.

Education department sources informed that a supply order for bicycles was issued on January 3, under which the firm had to supply 2,95,671 cycles in 120 days. The firm till date has supplied 50,000 cycles, of which half have been distribute­d in 16 districts.

Additional district education officer, secondary education, Kota, Narendra Gehlot, said the bicycles were being distribute­d among girl students who live within the 5-km radius of the school. He said only “higher ups can inform” why the decision was taken, but added the “new colour has made the bicycles look more attractive and distinguis­hable”.

Meanwhile, Opposition Congress has termed the move another attempt at saffronisa­tion of education.

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