Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said the ambitious laptop distribution scheme of his government was the "biggest secular and socialist scheme" in the state as it was implemented among the masses without any disparity.
Replying to the debate on budget for 2014-2015 fiscal year which was presented in the Vidhan Sabha on June 20, Yadav targeted the Opposition BSP, saying "earlier they called it (laptop) a toy and now when it has been discontinued they ask as to why the toy has been taken away."
"Laptop distribution was the biggest socialist and secular scheme launched so far in which 15 lakhs laptops were distributed without any discrimination on the basis of caste, religion or monetary situation," Yadav said, after the ambitious scheme was scrapped by the SP government recently.
"The scheme might has been discontinued but these laptops will remain with 15 lakh families for years and all members will learn to operate them," Yadav said.
The Chief Minister said that after discontinuing the laptop distribution scheme, emphasis would now be on e-books, e-library, e-learning and expansion of internet facility.
On discontinuation of few popular schemes of his government, including unemployment allowance and kanya vidhyadhan, he said in the next phase stress would be on development of infrastructural facilities, industrial investment and to create job opportunities.
The Chief Minister also said that the discontinued schemes can be revived anytime in future.
Referring to attempts to attract industrial investment in the state, he said after the New Delhi summit, MoUs worth Rs sixty thousand crores have been signed.
