India's Bicycle Economy
Bicycles for Schoolgirls
How Bihar's Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana from 2006 and similar schemes gave bicycles to schoolgirls, and research showing they increased girls' secondary enrolment.
Several states give bicycles to schoolgirls.
Bihar
Bihar’s Mukhyamantri Balika Cycle Yojana, launched in 2006, gave girls money to buy bicycles when they enrolled in class 9.
Research
A study by Karthik Muralidharan and Nishith Prakash found the scheme increased girls’ secondary school enrolment by about 32% and cut the gender gap by about 40%.
Why it worked
- Schools were far from villages.
- Bicycles made travel safer and faster.
Other states
West Bengal, Karnataka and others run similar schemes.
Demand boost
These schemes also created big orders for bicycle makers.
A girl in rural Bihar cycles 5 km to secondary school, a trip she couldn't make on foot.
Getting there matters.
- Bihar's scheme began in 2006.
- It raised girls' enrolment by about 32%.
- Distance and safety were barriers.
- Schemes created orders for makers.
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