Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Delhi Minister defends GeM bicycle procurement under Vidya Vahini scheme
The news is about bicycles being given to girl students in Delhi.
The Delhi government has a program called Vidya Vahini that gives bicycles to students.
More than 3,000 girls already got bicycles in the first round.
Another political group called the Aam Aadmi Party said the government paid too much money for the bicycles.
They also asked whether the bicycles were good quality.
The education leader, Ashish Sood, said the government bought the bicycles in a fair and open way.
He said the government uses a special buying website called GeM, which has been transparent for 10 years.
He explained that strict bidding rules are followed and problems are checked.
Sood also defended other government programs, like giving eligible women Rs 2,500 every month.
The two political groups disagree, and the report shares both sides of the story.
Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood rejected AAP's allegations of irregularities in bicycle procurement under the Vidya Vahini scheme.
Sood said the bicycles were procured through the government e-marketplace (GeM) following a transparent bidding process.
More than 3,000 girl students received bicycles in the first phase of the scheme.
AAP alleged the bicycles were bought at an inflated price, while the opposition also questioned their quality.
Sood defended BJP welfare measures such as the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana and said the government made over 150 policy interventions in 16-17 months.
- Who
- Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood and the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
- What
- Sood defended the procurement of bicycles under the Vidya Vahini scheme via GeM as transparent, rejecting AAP's allegations of inflated prices and quality concerns.
- When
- On Wednesday, during the Delhi Assembly session.
- Where
- New Delhi.
- Why
- In response to AAP allegations that the bicycles were bought at an inflated price and to opposition criticism over their quality.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
BJP-led Delhi Government
Bicycle procurement pricing
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
AAP alleges the bicycles were bought at an inflated price under the Vidya Vahini scheme.
BJP-led Delhi Government
Education Minister Ashish Sood says the bicycles were procured through GeM following a transparent bidding process.
Bicycle quality
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
The opposition raised questions over the quality of bicycles being distributed to students.
BJP-led Delhi Government
The government says bids are subject to prescribed parameters and cannot proceed if they contain restrictive clauses or unresolved complaints.
Welfare measures record
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
AAP has criticised the BJP government's welfare measures, including the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana.
BJP-led Delhi Government
Sood says the government implemented measures promised earlier and made more than 150 policy interventions in 16-17 months.
- Scheme
- Vidya Vahini (bicycle distribution)
- Procurement platform
- GeM (Government e-Marketplace)
- First phase recipients
- Over 3,000 girl students
- Allegation
- AAP claims bicycles were bought at an inflated price
- Government defence
- Transparent bidding process with prescribed parameters
- Delhi Lakshmi Yojana payment
- Rs 2,500 per month for eligible women
- Policy interventions
- More than 150 in the first 16-17 months in power
- Location
- New Delhi