PUDUCHERRY: The local unit of BJP has urged the government to reconsider the financial assistance provided to CENTAC sponsored students from affluent families and utilise the funds to provide free laptops to all college students from poor families.
In a statement here on Tuesday, BJP Puducherry unit general secretary V Saminathan said the quality of education offered to poor students is affected since they cannot afford laptops and hence miss out in getting jobs in the private sector. Students in Tamil Nadu and other States are enjoying the benefit of free laptops provided by the government, he pointed out.
In Puducherry, the government is spending several crores of rupees in providing educational assistance under the Perunthalaivar Kamaraj Financial Assistance Scheme to students from affluent families. But, the government is citing financial crunch for not providing laptops to college students, the BJP leader charged.
“If the assistance is restricted only to those belonging to poor families, the government could save money and the funds so saved could be used for providing free laptops to poor students in higher educational institutions,” Saminathan said. He urged the administration to provide protected drinking water and other amenities in all government schools.