 "Free laptop scheme on track: Akhilesh Yadav")
Downplaying claims that huge stocks of laptops meant for free distribution are piling up in Hewlett-Packard godowns and various district authorities, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday claimed the state’s free laptop scheme is on track.
Distributing laptops to the beneficiaries and making payments to the company concerned will be speeded up, Yadav told reporters here. Tuesday.
On March 11, 2013, Yadav had started the roll out of its ambitious free laptop scheme by handing over the gadget to 10,000 students in Lucknow. It was followed up by similar programmes in other districts as well.
The free laptop scheme is meant for students, who had passed their 10+2 exams during the 2011-12 academic session and later enrolled for higher studies.
A total of 1.5 million laptops are to be distributed in UP and HP had been given the mammoth contract worth over Rs 2,800 crore after bidding. The government had made a provision of Rs 2,800 crore for distributing free laptops and tablets to students. The tablets would be provided to students, who are pursuing higher studies after clearing 10 th standard.
About 2.6 million tablets are to be distributed pertaining to the last academic session, however, two successive bidding processes have come a cropper and the government is likely to solicit the bids again.
Meanwhile, Yadav also expressed concerned over the early arrival of monsoon and subsequent floods in UP and said the state machinery had been directed for swift relief and rescue operations.
The floods have come early this year in June inundating several villages in Gonda, Basti, Lakhimpur districts, while embankments had also been breached, he added.
Distributing laptops to the beneficiaries and making payments to the company concerned will be speeded up, Yadav told reporters here. Tuesday.
On March 11, 2013, Yadav had started the roll out of its ambitious free laptop scheme by handing over the gadget to 10,000 students in Lucknow. It was followed up by similar programmes in other districts as well.
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So far, only about 80,000 laptops have been distributed in the state, while the inventories have reportedly been piling with Hewlett Packard (HP) and the various district authorities.
The free laptop scheme is meant for students, who had passed their 10+2 exams during the 2011-12 academic session and later enrolled for higher studies.
A total of 1.5 million laptops are to be distributed in UP and HP had been given the mammoth contract worth over Rs 2,800 crore after bidding. The government had made a provision of Rs 2,800 crore for distributing free laptops and tablets to students. The tablets would be provided to students, who are pursuing higher studies after clearing 10 th standard.
About 2.6 million tablets are to be distributed pertaining to the last academic session, however, two successive bidding processes have come a cropper and the government is likely to solicit the bids again.
Meanwhile, Yadav also expressed concerned over the early arrival of monsoon and subsequent floods in UP and said the state machinery had been directed for swift relief and rescue operations.
The floods have come early this year in June inundating several villages in Gonda, Basti, Lakhimpur districts, while embankments had also been breached, he added.