West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday announced that the state’s bicycle distribution scheme, launched by the previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government as Sabuj Sathi, has been renamed Sarathi.Addressing a cycle distribution programme at a school in Howrah, Adhikari said 12.59 lakh students would receive bicycles under the Sarathi scheme during the current academic year.He alleged that the previous TMC government had procured “substandard” bicycles under the Sabuj Sathi scheme.“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,” Adhikari said.The state government has allocated Rs 300 crore as a composite grant for schools under the Sarathi scheme, he said.Adhikari also accused the previous TMC government of providing scholarships to students from a particular community as part of what he described as “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,” he said.He further said the government would not provide Rs 10,000 to higher secondary students for smartphones and tablets, as was done by the previous administration. Instead, students would receive a higher amount to purchase learning materials, he said.
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Adhikari also accused the Left and TMC governments of shutting down NCC programmes in schools and said he had spoken to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about reviving them.NCC units will be restored in educational institutions to improve students’ physical fitness and promote national security, 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,” Adhikari said.
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