Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has rejected proposals for charging students a down payment or any amount other than the monthly instalment under the ‘CM Maryam Nawaz E-Bike Scheme’, directing that the facility remain affordable for talented male and female students.
Presiding over a special meeting to review the scheme, here on Wednesday, the chief minister agreed in principle to fix the monthly instalment at around Rs3,000. The Punjab government will bear the interest and insurance costs of the e-bikes.
More than 125,000 e-bikes will be provided to eligible students under the scheme, while the chief minister also approved in principle the gradual expansion of its scope to government employees, departments and public delivery riders.
CM Maryam Nawaz directed the authorities to open the e-bike portal this week and make arrangements to provide e-bikes to eligible students within six weeks.
The meeting was informed that helmets and safety rods would be provided free of cost with the e-bikes, which would be equipped with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
On the chief minister’s directives, aspiring students would also be provided free two-day training in e-bike driving.
