CHENNAI: The free colour TV scheme, one of the pet schemes of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and an electoral promise of the DMK, has eaten up a whopping sum of Rs.2,267 crore within two years after it was launched in 2006.
For the first three phases of the scheme, the State government had allocated over Rs.1,517 crore for distributing colour TVs to 62.80 lakh families who did not have television sets. Of the fixed target, so far, 51.34 lakh families have received CTVs free of cost, an official release here said and added that the rest of the television sets are also being given to the needy families.
For the fourth phase, the government has allocated Rs.750 crore for the scheme for the current financial year. As many as 15 companies chosen through global tender process have been given orders for supplying 41 lakh colour TVs.
A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the all-party committee on distribution of Colour TVs headed by Chief Minister M Karuannidhi at the Secretariat on Wednesday. Price bids of 17 companies which fulfilled the tender terms were opened in the presence of the representatives of the companies as well as the members of the all-party committee.
One company has quoted the lowest price of Rs.2,321 per television set and 14 other companies also agreed to supply CTVs at the same price while two companies expressed inability. Hence, the all-party committee decided to give orders for the 15 companies to supply 41,62,500 colour TVs.
The free Colour TV scheme was launched by the Chief Minister on September 15, 2006.