Bicycle Scheme for SC students stayed

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday stayed for two months an order passed by the state government for disbursing Rs 3,000 each to  the students belonging to Scheduled Caste for purchasing bicycles.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J Chelameswar and Justice P R Ramchandra Menon passed the order, while considering a petition filed by Safari Bikes Limited, Ludhiyana challenging the  state government’s decision to cancel the tender proceedings and to distribute Rs 3,000 each to eligible students instead of bicycles.The government had earlier invited tender for purchasing cycles and the petitioner company was a bidder. Earlier the government’s plan was to allot 55,000 bicycles under ‘Vidya Yathra Scheme’ and tenders were invited for the same. The petitioner company was the bidder which quoted the lowest amount. “However, the government, without awarding the contract cancelled the tender proceedings and decided to disburse `3,000 each for eligible students,” the petitioner submitted.The petitioner further said the state’s  decision would result in additional public expenditure of over Rs 2.50 crore.