Free bicycles from Std VIII: Minister

Salem, Tamil Nadu, Feb 1 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister Veerapandi Arumugam today said students from standard eight would be eligible for the state government's free bicycle scheme from the next academic year.

Speaking at a free-bicycle distribution programme at Manakkad in the Salem Municipal Corporation, Mr Arumugam said he would recommend this to Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The current scheme, at a cost of Rs 4.35 crore, has nearly 21000 students as beneficiaries in this district alone, he said.

UNI