Guwahati, Jan 3 (IANS): The Assam government will distribute around 22,250 scooties (two-wheelers) to girl students free-of-cost to promote girls' education in the state, Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.

The minister after distributing the scooties at a function at Mushalpur in Baksa district, said that free scooties would be given to meritorious girl students who had passed higher secondary (HS) final exams in the first division under the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council in 2020.

He said that under Dr Banikanta Kakati Merit Award of Pragyan Bharati scheme, over Rs 144 crore would be spent to provide scooties to girl students to facilitate their journey in the pursuit of knowledge. Sarma, who also holds the Finance and PWD portfolios, said that early marriage and economic burden are major hurdles for the girls' education.

"After the BJP government waived the fee, over 4.80 lakh students this year have enrolled in colleges across Assam. The state government has been providing Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 to each graduate and post-graduate student, respectively, to help them buy books," he added.

The state government has recently appointed 15,000 to 20,000 teachers to improve the academic standard in the schools in Assam, he said.