New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday performed Kanya Pujan at a government school in Shalimar Bagh and distributed bicycles to around 1,400 Class 9 girl students, and said that in Indian culture, women are regarded as symbols of strength, knowledge, compassion and prosperity.

The distribution was held under the Delhi government's Vidya Vahini scheme, which aims to facilitate girls' commute to school and encourage them to continue their education.

Gupta said Kanya Pujan was not merely a religious tradition but also a message of respect for girls, equality and recognition of their importance in society.

She said the true spirit of the tradition can only be realised when girls have access to education, safety, confidence and equal opportunities.

Under the Vidya Vahini scheme, 28,000 bicycles have been distributed throughout Delhi so far, with the government aiming to distribute 1.5 lakh bicycles in total.

The chief minister also stressed the role of parents, teachers and society in ensuring that girls continued their education and developed confidence and leadership skills.

She said empowering girls was not the responsibility of the government and schools alone and every member of society must work towards ensuring that no girl was deprived of education.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.