Kolkata: Students will now be eligible for free bicycles from Class 8 instead of Class 9, CM Suvendu Adhikari announced on Tuesday at the launch of ‘Sarathi’, Bengal’s rebranded bicycle distribution scheme, from a school in Howrah’s Bantra.Kicking off the distribution process at Madhusudan Pal Chowdhury High School, Adhikari said 12.6 lakh students will receive bicycles in FY 2026-27. After addressing the students, the CM also joined them for mid-day meal in the school.‘Sarathi’ replaces the earlier govt’s ‘Sabooj Sathi’ programme, under which students of govt and govt-aided schools were provided bicycles from Class 9.“’Sabooj Sathi’ was not a new scheme introduced in the 15-year stint of the previous govt. It was prevalent during the earlier (Left Front) govt too, but was limited to SC, ST and minority students. The project’s beneficiary was widened by the last govt. We have not only given it a new name and a new logo, we have also ushered in a three-tier checking mechanism to ensure quality bicycles and the tyres used in the two-wheelers match road safety standards,” the CM said.Taking a swipe at former CM Mamata Banerjee without taking her name over bicycle procurement, Adhikari claimed that bicycle components were earlier sourced from Jalandhar in Punjab and the assembling was done by relatives of the administrative head of the state. “We have discontinued such arrangements and are trying to encourage manufacturing units in Bengal. We will provide them land and sign an agreement on procuring bicycles from them. Our Honourable Prime Minister advocates ‘vocal for local’ and our model will be in exact tune with that,” he added.‘Sabooj Sathi’, launched by Banerjee in 2015, initially covered only girl students but was subsequently extended to boys.Adhikari also accused the TMC govt of shutting down NCC programmes in schools and said he had spoken with defence minister Rajnath Singh about reviving the same. 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 inspired by the ideals of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who was instrumental in carving out the present West Bengal. Youths must remember his contribution and sacrifice in saving the homeland of Sanatani Hindus,” he added.Accusing the TMC govt of providing student scholarships for students of Class 5 to 8 to a particular community, the CM said: “We will set it right. Isn’t a govt for every community? Every Sanatani Hindu as well as students of other faiths will get scholarships now.”Adhikari claimed a composite grant of Rs 300 crore for schools across the state, which was stopped by the previous dispensation for the last three years, had been re-allocated.
