Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Tuesday distributed bicycles to 581 Class IX girl students at two government schools in Janakpuri under the Delhi Government’s Vidya Vahini Yojana, aimed at making the daily commute of schoolgirls easier and safer.
The bicycles were distributed among students of Government Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya and Government Girls Senior Secondary School in A-Block, Janakpuri. The government plans to provide branded bicycles to around 1.4 lakh Class IX girls across Delhi. So far, nearly 18,000 girls have received bicycles under the ongoing distribution drives.
Addressing students, parents and school officials, Sood said the initiative was not merely about providing a mode of transport but about giving girls greater independence and confidence.
“For me, this joy is not merely that bicycles are being given to our daughters,” said Sood.
The minister said the bicycles would enable girls to travel to school and nearby places independently without having to depend on family members. He also urged mothers to encourage their daughters to ride bicycles independently and build confidence.
Sood also highlighted infrastructure and academic initiatives being undertaken in government schools. He said classrooms were being equipped with 75-inch smart displays to promote experiential learning, while schools had been provided ICT labs with 40 computers and specialised language labs.
Under the NEEEV project, student teams are being provided grants of Rs 20,000 to develop innovations such as drones, smartwatches and apps. The minister also said the government would rebuild the 50-year-old school building during its current five-year tenure.
He said approvals had also been secured for two foot overbridges on Pankha Road near C-1 and Jeevan Park Som Bazaar to improve pedestrian safety and ease traffic related concerns.
Sood further highlighted the government’s free competitive coaching initiative under the Madan Mohan Malaviya Education Mission, under which students can receive two years of coaching for examinations such as NEET, CUET, CA, ICWA and CLAT.
