Agartala, Aug 14 (IANS): Tripura would give free bicyles to 50,000 poor girl students in a bid to boost women's education and reduce the school-dropout rate, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said Wednesday.

"The state government has been providing free school textbooks to students up to Class 9. To give some more assistance to poor girl students to reduce dropout rates, 50,000 girl students living below poverty line would get free bicycles in addition to existing benefits," Sarkar said.

Girl students in Class 9 to 12 with an annual family income up to Rs.1.25 lakh would get the benefit.

The new scheme will cost Rs.15 crore in the first year and Rs.6 crore in subsequent years.

Female literacy rate in Tripura is 83.15 percent against the male literacy rate of 92.18 percent.

The chief minister said the monetary assistance from banks or financial institutions for a self-employment project called "Swavalamban" has been doubled to Rs.50,000 from the earlier Rs.25,000.

The scheme is meant for educated unemployed youth.