West Bengal launches Sarathi scheme to provide bicycles to students

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has launched the ‘Sarathi’ scheme, a rebranded initiative intended to distribute bicycles to 12.59 lakh students during the current academic year. The program replaces the previous administration’s ‘Sabuj Sathi’ scheme. During the launch event in Howrah, Adhikari criticized the former government for providing substandard bicycles and accused them of using scholarships for community appeasement.

To ensure quality, the government plans to allot land in Howrah to establish a local manufacturing facility for high-quality bicycles. Additionally, Rs 300 crore has been allocated as a composite grant for schools under this new scheme.

Adhikari also signaled a major policy shift regarding digital learning. He indicated that the state may discontinue financial grants previously provided to Class 11 students for purchasing mobile phones. Citing concerns over the negative impact of mobile phone use on students, the Chief Minister proposed replacing these grants with higher funding for educational tablets and learning materials to promote academic focus over consumer technology.