Uttar Pradesh government aims to make students digitally proficient with free smartphones & tablets

For procuring the devices for youths to make them digitally independent, the government presented a supplementary budget of 3000 INR in the state assembly in August.

The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to distribute tablets and smartphones among students graduating from technical, medical, and nursing institutions as well as those enrolled for skill development programmes, according to Hindustan Times. Reports suggest that At UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to prepare a list of eligible candidates for getting these devices for their distribution by the end of November. The officials are working out the modalities for the distribution of these devices among students. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching-learning process got shifted to virtual platforms in order to curb academic loss. The state government has decided to distribute these smartphones and tablets among students with an aim to empower them digitally eventually leading to the creation of job opportunities.

For procuring the devices for youths to make them digitally independent, the government presented a supplementary budget of 3000 INR in the state assembly in August. The government has invited bids to buy 2.5 million smartphones and as many tablets. More procurements were expected to be made.

Meanwhile, last week, UP CM also announced an extension of the scheme for free distribution of rations until 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. Reports also state that on November 6, the government made cash transfers into accounts of parents of 18 million students of primary and upper primary schools to buy two sets of uniforms, bags, sweaters, shoes and socks.

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