After Nitish,Naveen plans free cycles for girl students

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,who in 2008 emulated Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars bicycle scheme for SC/ST girls

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,who in 2008 emulated Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars bicycle scheme for SC/ST girls,on Tuesday extended the scheme announcing that all Class X girl students in Orissa would get cycles from April this year irrespective of their caste.

From April this year,over 1.7 lakh girls in Class X would get cycles, Naveen said after a meeting.

In 2006,Nitish had started the Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojna under which his government distributed lakhs of bicycles to any schoolgirl in Std IX. Naveen started the scheme for SC/ST girls in Classes VIII and XI in 2008 in all scheduled areas of the state. The scheme was also applicable to SC/ST girls in Classes XI and XII in non-scheduled areas.

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The girls would be asked to buy the cycle and then the money would be reimbursed by the government,a SC/ST department official said. The girls have to submit the receipt for cycles to claim reimbursement.

Tuesdays meeting also decided that SC/ST boy students up to Class VIII in scheduled areas would get new uniforms. Girls have been getting the uniform for last 4-5 years.