File picture of Naveen Patnaik distributing cheques to girls during the project launch

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 1: The state government is planning to distribute free bicycles among Class IX students from the coming financial year.

Earlier, it had implemented the scheme of free bicycle distribution among Class X students.

Additional secretary of the state school and mass education department D. Satapathy said: “We have sought information from the director of secondary education about the number of students studying in Class IX in the state. On receiving it, we will make an estimate and seek help from the finance department. Then the state government will take a final call and decide on the budget.”

Approximately, more than 6.5 lakh students are studying in Class IX across the state. To know the exact number, the government will launch an online registration of Class IX students from the current financial year.

On August 28, chief minister Naveen Patnaik opened Rs 3,200-crore Biju Expressway, a highway between Jagadalpur and Rourkela connecting eight southern and western districts of the state. On September 11, Naveen announced the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, a Rs 3,000-crore scheme, which aims to convert all the kaccha houses to pucca ones in the state. Two days ago, the government announced to set up a separate directorate to deal with various health insurance schemes for farmers and labourers.

Opposition leader Narasingha Mishra said providing cycles to school students was not objectionable. “But, Naveen remembers the people’s plight only when he faces trouble,” Mishra said, pointing to a host of scams, including the mining and ponzi firm ones.

State BJP spokesperson Samir Mohanty said: “The state government is only launching such populist schemes to secure the vote bank.”

“Educational promotion cannot be achieved without upgrading the teaching skill. There is a dearth of trained teachers in schools. The state government does not have adequate institutes to train the teachers,” said Mohanty.

Earlier, the government had implemented the free-bicycle scheme for girl students of Class X in government and government-aided schools and boys belonging to the SC and ST communities and studying in the schools of the tribal sub-plan blocks.

At present, free cycles are being provided to 5.48 lakh students of Class X every year. A sum of Rs 140 crore is being spent in this regards.