Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 27: This year, even if the academic year gets going, the students will not get their bicycles. Because of the uncertainty over the reopening of schools and also financial crunch, the state government has decided to drop the idea of procuring new bicycles this year. This matter came up for discussion at the high-level meeting of the department of pubic instruction where it was decided to provide uniforms and textbooks this time and resume provision of bicycles from the next year.

The department of public instruction has already called for a tender to provide uniforms to students and also issued work orders to government-owned Karnataka Textiles Development Corporation and other private concerns. But it had not started the bicycle tender process. It was decided not to provide bicycles to students as there is no clarity when the schools will begin functioning.

For the procurement of bicycles, for the year 2019-20, a sum of Rs 180 crore had been spent. If the government also does away with the provision of a pair of shoes and socks to the students, it will save about Rs 300 crore.