CHENNAI: In a little over 1,000 days since the scheme to distribute laptops to students was launched, the State government has distributed a whopping 17 lakh laptops. In other words, over 1,676 units a day — at a total cost of `2,500 crore.
This year, 5.5 lakh students will receive the laptops, for which `1,100 crore has been allocated in the current financial year. As promised by the ruling party in its poll campaign, the laptops are being distributed free of cost to students studying Plus Two, engineering and arts and science colleges and polytechnics - government and government-aided institutions from September 15, 2011.
The authorities had fixed a distribution target of 9,07,790 laptops during 2011-12, 7,56,000 in 2012-13 and 5,50,000 in 2013-14. Of this, already 17 lakh laptops have been distributed, an official release here said.
The rest of the laptops were being procured and sent to the districts. And from the district headquarters, they will be sent to the educational institutions for distribution to the students.
Minister for Information and Special Programme Implementation K T Rajenthra Bhalaji on Wednesday reviewed the progress in the distribution of laptops, the requirement, service centres, etc., and directed the officials to distribute them.