The UP government has invited bids to buy 2.5 million smartphones and as many tablets. More procurements were expected to be made
The Uttar Pradesh government plans to distribute smartphones and tablets among students graduating from technical, medical, and nursing institutions as well as those enrolled for skill development programmes, officials aware of the matter said.
At a meeting he presided over on Saturday, chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to prepare a list of those eligible for getting these devices for their distribution by November end.
An official spokesman said the modalities for the distribution are being worked out. “We will come out with details for distribution of these devices soon.”
Chief secretary R K Tiwari said the devices will make the students digitally empowered and lead to the creation of job opportunities for them.
A supplementary budget was earlier presented in the state assembly in August to earmark ₹3,000 crore for procuring the devices for youths and to make them digitally proficient. The government has invited bids to buy 2.5 million smartphones and as many tablets. More procurements were expected to be made.
Adityanath earlier last week announced an extension of the scheme for free distribution of rations till Holi (March) in the poll-bound state. He lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership in the fight against Covid-19 and said free ration has been given to 150 million people in the state since 2020. On November 6, cash transfers were made into accounts of parents of the 18 million students of primary and upper primary schools to buy two sets of uniforms, bags, sweaters, shoes and socks.
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Opposition Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was offering freebies in view of the 2022 assembly elections. “The BJP will not be able to win the polls whatever it does.”
BJP leader Chandra Mohan said the government has been working for the people’s welfare for five years. “We began with the waiver of farm loans up to ₹1 lakh. The decision for loan waiver was taken at the first meeting of state Cabinet in 2017.”
SK Dwivedi, a former political science department head at Lucknow University, said the measures were being implemented to woo the voters. “Other parties are giving assurances to implement them if they win the polls. The BJP is in power and so is taking measures to please the voters now.”
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