Tamil Nadu Government, the ruling AIADMK party as part of fulfilling one of its ambitious electoral promises has proposed to distribute over 11 lakh laptops to students under the free laptop scheme for the period 2014-15 and 2015-16 by December 2015.
Tamil Nadu Government has allocated Rs. 1,080 crore for distribution of laptops this financial year under the free laptop scheme, one of the flagship schemes of ruling AIADMK, school education Minister K C Veeramani said today. He also said that the government had allotted Rs. 3,642.79 crore for distribution of free laptops in the last four years.
The government, in its poll manifesto for the 2011 Assembly polls has announced that it would present 33.19 lakh free laptops to students of government aided high school and colleges. While 8.67 lakh laptops were distributed in 2011-12, the number was 7.18 lakh in 2012-13. In 2013-14, free laptops were given to 5.30 lakh students, an official release said.
“For the period 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 22.19 lakh laptops have been given to students at a cost of Rs 2,781.75 crore,” IT Minister Mukkur N Subramanian informed the Assembly. He said, “For the 2014-15, 2015-16 period, the government has planned to give away 11 lakh laptops by December 2015.”
Minister KT Rajenthra Bhalaji held a review meeting to take stock of the progress of the scheme for the period 2014-15 and 2015-16, said Rs 1,080 crore has been allotted for distribution of laptops for these periods. He directed officials concerned to expedite the progress and distribute the laptops to the beneficiaries.
It is expected that the supply of laptops under phase IV would be completed by October 2015 and for Phase V by December 2015. Earlier on February 16, Government had allotted Rs 2,000crore for giving 90 lakh mixies, grinders and fans to beneficiaries at free of cost for 2014-15 and 2015-16 as part of widening the appeal of another one of its schemes.