Whither bicycles?

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : One of the ambitious programmes of the state government-of providing bicycles to eighth standard girls belonging to below poverty line families, has virtally turned out to be useless scheme and it may not be wrong to say that the crores of rupees spent on this projct by the government is nothing but a waste of government funds.
Reports as of now say that most of the cycles that have been distributed are in broken condition now. While the spokes of some have been displaced, in some others the handles are bent with shaking seats.
Though the cycles were sanctioned during the summer vacation itself, the authorities couldn’t distribute the same even after a month passed after the reopening of schools. Finally after much pressure, the district minister took steps to distribute the same first in the district level, and then in the village level.
Though as per official estimates 5658 girl students were entitled for the facility, the cycles have still not reached all the identified beneficiaries. However, even the cycles that have already been distributed are now out of shape.
The reason for the same is that within a few days after the cycle distribution, there were the Dasara holidays which meant more cycling time, not for the girls, but for their younger and elder brothers who made good use of the cycles leaving them in a bad state.
Now, mamy of the girls come to school either walking or by bus and if questioned the answer is that the cycle is out of order and that their parents do not have the money to repair the same.
The government’s responsibility is only to provide cycles not pumps and other maintenance charges, say officials. Today, many parents as well as students feel it is better to walk rather than cycle the way to school-for in many rrual areas students will have to pass through fields and small drains and cycling will be utmost difficult here.
Now, it is left to be seen if the government would abandon this scheme and instead take up some other scheme that would be really useful to the student community.