New Delhi [India], October 6 (ANI): Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Tuesday distributed bicycles to Class 9 girl students at two government schools in Block A, Janakpuri, under the 'Vidya Vahini Yojana'.

According to a release, a total of 581 girl students from Government Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya (GSKV) A-Block and Government Girls Senior Secondary School A-Block received bicycles during the event.

The Vidya Vahini Yojana is an initiative launched by the Delhi Government to support secondary school education for girls.

Under this scheme, the government has decided to provide high-quality branded bicycles to all 140,000 girls studying in the 9th grade across Delhi. 

Across the city, nearly 18,000 girls have received bicycles so far as part of ongoing distribution drives. The program aims to make the daily commute to school easier, safer, and more convenient for young girls.

Addressing students, parents, and school officials, Ashish Sood emphasised that the initiative goes far beyond simple transportation.

'For me, this joy is not merely that bicycles are being given to our daughters,' said Ashish Sood. 'My joy lies in the fact that while we perhaps could not attach wings to their dreams, we have given them wheels.'

He noted that the bicycle symbolises freedom, self-reliance, and independence. It empowers young girls to travel to school, visit nearby markets, and run errands on their own terms without having to rely on family members.

He urged mothers to encourage their daughters and build confidence in their ability to ride independently.

During his speech, the Minister highlighted several key educational and infrastructure transformations undertaken by the government under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. 

That includes efforts to solve traffic congestion and ensure child safety on Pankha Road (near C-1 and Jeevan Park Som Bazaar), approvals have been secured for two new foot-over bridges.

Classrooms are now equipped with 75-inch smart displays to promote 'Experiential Learning' under NEP 2020, allowing students to visualise complex concepts through videos and interactive boards. Schools have been provided with state-of-the-art ICT labs featuring 40 new computers, along with specialised language labs to help students learn regional and international languages, the release said. 

Under the 'DEEV Project', grant funding of 20,000 is awarded to student teams to create innovations such as drones, smartwatches, and apps.

The Minister pledged to completely rebuild the 50-year-old school building within the current 5-year tenure.

Under the Madan Mohan Malaviya Education Mission, the government is providing two years of free coaching at premier institutes (such as Aakash and Narayana) for entrance exams including NEET, CUET, CA, ICWA, and CLAT.

Encouraging students to focus on clear conceptual learning rather than just test scores, Ashish Sood concluded by urging the young girls to aim high, pursue top university admissions via CUET, and strive to lead the nation in various fields. (ANI)