Assam law and Guwahati development department minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya on Sunday handed over keys of two-wheelers to five meritorious girl students during a scooter distribution programme held at Mangaldai in Darrang district.
A total of 908 girl students who had secured the first division in the HS final examination last year will receive the two-wheelers under the Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award of Pragyan Bharati scheme.
The Assam government would spend funds worth Rs 144 crores to provide 22,250 scooters to meritorious girl students under the scheme.
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Addressing the students, Sidhartha Bhattacharya said, “The HS examination is the most important examination to set a goal for the future career of a student.”
“I hope the two-wheelers will not only help the girl students to pursue higher education by cutting down the time and energy spent on commuting, but it will also inspire younger students to do better in the HS examination in future,” he said.
Mangaldai Lok sabha MP Dilip Saikia pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government at the center and the Assam government have accorded importance to women empowerment and this scheme has been introduced for the same.
Saikia also asked the beneficiary students and their guardians never to sell off their scooters.
Mangaldai legislator Gurujyoti Das appealed to the beneficiaries to obtain a license, drive carefully by wearing helmets and obey traffic rules.