Govt to distribute another 50,000 bicycles to reach 60 lakh target

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated Sabuj Sathi project by distributing bicycles among students of classes IX to XII of state-run, sponsored and aided schools on September 29, 2015, at Gopiballavpur Block I then under West Midnapore and now under Jhargram district. Thus, in less than three years' time 60 lakhs cycles have been distributed among students, highest by any state government in India.

A social impact survey of the project reveals that there has been a 12.2 percent increase in enrolment in Class IX from 2015 to 2016 and subsequently increased by another 6.18 percent in 2017.

But despite state government's achievements, just to malign Mamata Banerjee, some people with vested interest have uploaded photographs on social media sites showing brand new Sabuj Sathi bicycles kept out in the open and bushes and shrubs have grown surrounding them.

However, the name of the place where the photograph has been taken along with the date has not been given. It may be mentioned that before 2016 Assembly elections, CPIM had spread canard against the project and alleged that inferior quality cycles were being distributed.

The cycles are manufactured by three best cycle manufacturing firms in India and the project because of its popularity had helped Trinamool Congress to consolidate its position in the Assembly polls.

The success of its distribution under Sabuj Sathi project is more interesting than any reel life story.

The Backwards Classes Welfare Department (BCW) has a list containing names of 60 lakh students along with their parents/guardians, the classes they are in, their schools and the date of receiving cycles.

As cycles' parts come in boxes, 3,500 trucks from different areas of the country came to Kolkata and they were sent to the districts. Seven thousand fitters from across the country were engaged to assemble the cycles.

However, now BCW has given training to over 3,500 SC and ST unemployed youth in cycle repairing so that during the distribution of next batch of cycles, they will be engaged in assembling them. A management institute is studying the social impact of the scheme and will submit its report to BCW shortly.