Delhi Rolls Out Free Bicycle Scheme: CM Rekha Gupta Distributes Cycles to Class 9 Girls

Following the 2026-27 budget announcement, a very important gesture was made by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as she handed over free bicycles and school bags to about 1,100 Class IX girls at a government school in Shalimar Bagh on Thursday. The distribution coincided with Kanya Pujan celebrations on the occasion of Durga Ashtami and was held at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Shalimar Bagh. This step is the beginning phase of the Delhi government's 'free bicycle scheme, ' a very prominent item in the newly released budget. The plan is to help almost 1. 30 lakh girls through government schools in the capital with a total fund of 90 crore.

Relating the project with the message of Durga Ashtami, Gupta said at the function that empowering girls through education and making them independent is the focus of the government. Besides, she added, offering bicycles to the girls would make their daily commute much easier thus reducing one of the reasons for their dropping out from school. Transport is a major concern that the scheme intends to resolve. Problems like long distance travel forcing students to stop attending classes or even dropping out completely are faced by many students. The government believes that by giving bicycles it will not only provide safer and more dependable means to get education but will also lessen their dependence on others.

Gupta stressed that the program is a mere reflection of the wide vision of educating girls and changing their position in society. "This will not only make their travelling comfortable but also bring down school dropouts and lessen the worries of the parents, " she remarked. Besides, she underlined that the aim is to equip the students with more confidence and freer movement.

Delhi Education Minister, Ashish Sood, conveyed that the execution of the plan would be expedited. Tendering for purchasing will be announced at the start of the new fiscal year in April, and the scheme is slated to be fully operational in the next two to three months. Besides, he ensured that the government would carry out quarterly evaluations to track progress and guarantee the proper use of funds.

The Delhi government, through this program, desires to build a more inclusive and encouraging educational environment where deprivation of basic facilities like transportation shouldn't be a barrier for a student's future.