Times News Network

Bangalore, Jun 10: Girls from below poverty line (BPL) families studying in eighth standard can ride to school from July. This, thanks to the government commencing distribution of bicycles.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa said tenders have been called and four companies have come forward to supply bicycles.

Prices are being negotiated and procurement orders for one lakh bicycles will be placed in a week's time. He said the supplying company will distribute the bicycles directly to the schools by July first week.

Funeral expenses: A total of Rs 5 crore has been disbursed to all tahsildars towards funeral expenses for BPL families, as envisaged in the budget. BPL families can claim Rs 1,000 per death of a member towards funeral expenses.

Roads: The finance department has sanctioned Rs 150 crore, apart from the budgetary allocation, to the public works department for carrying out road works.

This apart, Rs 50 lakh of the Rs one crore MLAs fund will be reserved for development of roads in their respective constituencies.

Loans: A government order enabling fishermen and weavers to avail loans at four per cent interest has been issued, he said.

"We will urge the Centre to direct all nation-alised banks to give loans to farmers,"he said. Checkposts: Yediyurappa warned politicians and miscreants against abusing commercial taxes officials posted at the checkposts along the highways.

He said: "Tax collections last month registered a record-breaking high, we want to maintain the tempo.