Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday said his government will distribute bicycles to 12.59 lakh students this academic year under the rebranded Sarathi scheme.
Addressing a cycle distribution programme at a school in Howrah, he alleged the previous TMC government used to procure "substandard" bicycles and hand over those to students under its Sabuj Sathi scheme.
The BJP government has rechristened the previous dispensation's Sabuj Sathi scheme as Sarathi.
"We will allot land to set up a facility that will manufacture high-quality cycles in Howrah. As many as 12.59 lakh students will get bicycles this academic year under the Sarathi scheme," the chief minister said.
The chief minister said Rs 300 crore has been allocated as a composite grant for schools under the Sarathi scheme.
He accused the previous TMC government of providing student scholarships to a particular community as part of its "appeasement politics".
"We will set it right. Isn't it a government for every community? Every Sanatani Hindu as well as students of other faiths will get scholarship now," the chief minister announced.
Adhikari also said his government would not provide Rs 10,000 to higher secondary students for smartphones and mobile tablets, as was done by the previous dispensation. "We will provide a higher amount for them to buy learning materials," he added.
Accusing the Left and TMC governments of closing NCC programmes in schools, Adhikari said he has spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the matter.
NCC units will be revived in educational institutions to enhance the physical fitness of students and to boost national safety, he said.
"We must be fired by nationalism and be inspired by the ideals of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was instrumental in the carving out of present West Bengal. Today youths must remember his contribution and sacrifice in saving the homeland of Sanatani Hindus," he said.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.