Karnataka stops school cycle scheme, cites poor quality

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday ordered stoppage of distribution of free bicycles to high school students in government schools due to poor quality. A probe has been ordered.

The issue of quality of bicycles came up during the day-long meeting Kumaraswamy chaired with regional commissioners, deputy commissioners, chief executive officers and other top bureaucrats. “I have ordered that supply of bicycles be stopped and a probe be done on quality issues,” Kumaraswamy told reporters.

In the current academic year, 5.14 lakh students were to receive free bicycles at an estimated cost of Rs 185 crore. “The cycles have been distributed partially and the major concern is the quality. There’s no clarity on withdrawing the ones that have been distributed, but it has been ordered to stop supply,” Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar said.