Mehbooba launches 'CM Scooty scheme', 300 girls benefit

Jammu, Sept 9: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today launched 'CM Scooty Scheme' for college-going girls from weaker sections.

She distributed 150 scooties each at Government College for Women, Parade, and Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar.

She said the biggest challenge in the world today is violence and women are its biggest victims.

"Women have the biggest stake in peace. We need them to restore it. I feel she is the icon of love, compassion, and binds family and society," Mehbooba said.

"We want to invest in you (girl students), your education and future because only you can free this world, country and state of unrest." "College girls will be given 50 per cent subsidy on purchase of a scooty", said education minister Naeem Akhtar, adding the idea was "to make women independent in terms of mobility".

To get benefits of the scheme, a student should have at least 65 per cent marks and her family's annual income should be less than Rs 4 lakh. Of the 312 applications from Government College for Women Gandhi Nagar only 150 met the criteria.

In May, the government had announced it would have many women centric initiatives, and "CM Scooty Scheme" was one of them.

Akhtar asked girls to use the 'scooty scheme' as a tool to rebel against those dictating their terms and imposing directives on them. Mufti also rode pillion on NCC girl cadet's scooty at Parade. "A CM riding a scooty is unseen. It gives us a moral boost", said Deepika, a student.

PTI