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The government will consider reintroduction of free bicycle scheme for class 8 students of government schools from the next academic year, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Madhu Bangarappa said.
Responding to a question from Pradeep Eshwar in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Mr. Bangarappa said free bicycles were last distributed to class 8 students in 2019-2020. Presently, the government was providing free bus pass facility to students of rural areas to reach school and return home.
Several other members, including Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok, batted for reintroduction of the scheme by pointing out the absence of bus connectivity and last-mile connectivity in many rural areas.
When Mr. Ashok recalled that the scheme was originally introduced during the erstwhile BJP government of B.S. Yediyurappa, Mr. Bangarappa shot back and said it was also the BJP government that had stopped distribution of free bicycles to high school students.
However, he assured to discuss the issue with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and consider reintroduction of the scheme.
To a demand for providing two pairs of shoes and four pairs of socks to students of government schools in place of the present one pair of shoes and two pairs of socks, Mr. Bangarappa said a decision can be taken keeping in mind the availability of financial resources for the department.
To a question on shortage of classrooms in government primary schools raised by U.B. Banakar, Mr. Bangarappa said the government had released ₹94.5 crore out of ₹129.76 crore set aside for construction of 9,604 classrooms in 7,098 schools between 2020-21 and 2022-23.
