Madhya Pradesh government decided to give free bicycles to 4.5 lakh students, know complete details

The 2024-25 academic year, the School Education Department will provide free bicycles to 4.50 lakh students enrolled in government schools under the Free Bicycle Distribution Scheme. The department has issued necessary instructions to District Education Officers in this regard. 

The Free Bicycle Distribution Scheme provides free bicycles to students residing in rural areas who are entering 6th and 9th grade for the first time. Last year, 4.07 lakh students received free bicycles through this initiative. The department has instructed officials to pay special attention to the quality of the bicycles being distributed.

Benefits for Students in Remote Areas:

The Free Bicycle Distribution Scheme is specifically designed to benefit students from villages or hamlets located more than 2 km from their schools. Under the scheme, students from such areas who travel to school will receive free bicycles. Additionally, girls residing in rural hostels, whose schools are 2 km or more away from their hostels, will also be provided with bicycles. These bicycles will be allocated to the hostels, and the resident girls will be able to use them. Ninth-grade students will be given bicycles with 20-inch wheels.

The Free Bicycle Distribution Scheme was launched in the year 2004-05. Prior to the academic year 2016-17, eligible students were provided with ₹2,400 to purchase bicycles. The first large-scale distribution of bicycles in the state occurred in the 2019-20 academic year, benefiting approximately 4.32 lakh students in the 9th grade.