Increase ownership of cycles by school children: TERI report

NEW DELHI: Cycles help children in rural areas to access schools in a cost effective and time efficient manner thus increasing students' enrolment, says a report. The report, prepared by the Energy and Resources Institute and titled "Peddling towards a Greener India: A Report on Promoting Cycling in the Country", recommends increase ownership of cycles by school children.

"Cycles play a vital role in enhancing social development of low-income communities. Enabling access to schools (especially secondary and higher secondary schools that serve several villages and towns) in a cost effective and time efficient manner is specifically a great social contribution by cycles," the report said.

In Bihar, free cycle distribution to girls has increased girl's enrolment in secondary schools by 5 per cent and has also reduced the gender gap in enrolment by 25 per cent.

In Chhattisgarh, enrolment of girl students in secondary schools doubled over a period of five years due to free cycle scheme for girls.

The report also recommended introducing special cycle schemes for school children.

"Given the positive social development impacts that cycles can have in terms of increasing education levels, especially of girls, and the success of the existing free cycle distribution schemes of state governments, it is strongly recommended that special schemes for promoting ownership of cycles by school children should be considered and continued by the state government and government of India," the report pointed out.