Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has found another way to attract more girls to government-run schools - by distributing school bags free of cost.

The government has earmarked Rs.130 million for the new scheme, officials said on Monday.

"Initially, girls studying in Class 6 to Class 8 would be able to avail the scheme. Later, girls of Class 1 to Class 5 will also be included," Rakesh Kumar, an official in the basic education department here, told sources.

The programme aims to increase the enrolment of girls in schools, he said.

The state government is already providing free school uniforms and books to girls studying in Class 1 to Class 5, Kumar added.

Officials said that the new scheme would be implemented in the next academic session and over eight million girls across the state would benefit from it. IANS