Rajasthan The fate of thousands of scooters meant for students hasn’t changed even as the government has changed. These scooters, which cost the exchequer ₹385 crore, are parked in deplorable conditions in fields in Banswara, Dungarpur, Udaipur, and other districts, in dealer lots, gathering dust and rust, awaiting scraps from the bureaucracy.
The previous Gehlot, too, used to purchase scooters under the ‘Kalibai Bhil Scooty Yojana’, but now the BJP government is stuck with the scheme. The scooters were hastily ordered during the previous administration only because they knew the machines could not be delivered before they were voted out of office.
The incumbent government intends to continue the scheme and is looking to spend another ₹200 crores on new scooters. Yet, thousands of scooters purchased a year ago stand stranded in files with an uncertain fate.
The grass grows on the government college grounds in Banswara, and the scooters bought new and shiny are now rusty. The scooters were to be given to female students who secured above 60 per cent marks in their 10th and 12th standard examinations on the basis of the merit lists. Over the past five months, 1690 scooters worth about ₹13.50 crore have been lying idle in the district alone, including 1009 spread in different areas in Banswara.
In 2021-22, the Rajasthan government launched the Kalibai Bhil Scooty Distribution and Devnarayan Scheme for meritorious female students. Under the scheme, students who secured more than 65% marks in the Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education and more than 75% marks in the Central Board of Secondary Education were provided scooters.
Congress alleged that the BJP was a political vendetta squandering public money. Prem Chand Berwa, Deputy Chief Minister, said that these scooters were of the last session (2022-23) and were not available to the dealer during the distribution of scooters.
However, he assured that the old and new scooters would be distributed in this session and that action would be taken against the dealer for the delay.