INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Indiana is kicking off a grant program for school districts that wish to purchase propane-powered school buses. 

The competitive grant program, operated by the state Office of Energy Development, will dole out shares from a $300,000 pool of state money. 

Only school districts that have their own buses are eligible for the subsidy. School districts must also purchase a minimum of two buses. The DeKalb County Central United School District recently bought three.

The grant program is geared to help cover the difference in cost between propane and diesel power buses. 

The office said Wednesday schools can benefit from propane school buses in different ways including decreasing schoolchildren's exposure to harmful emissions and lowering maintenance costs through the use of a cleaner burning fuel.