LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh government is set to commence the distribution of tablets and smartphones to students from the second week of December.
The gadgets will be distributed under the scheme announced by CM Yogi Adityanath on October 5 to equip students with technology to help them pursue their studies.
According to official sources, the state government had floated the largest tender for smartphones and tablets worth Rs 4,700 crore on the GeM portal. A number of well-known companies, including Samsung (Vision) and Acer (Celkon) and Vishtel (Iris) for tablets and Lava, Samsung (Celcon) and Samsung (United) for smartphones -- had submitted their bids which are in the stage of finalisation.
As per the break-up of the tender money, Rs 2,500 crore would be spent to buy tablets and Rs 2,200 crore for smartphones. The work order for the distribution of tablets and phones will be issued in December’s first week. Around five lakh smartphones and 2.5 lakh tablets will be distributed in the first phase, said a senior official.
To facilitate the endeavour, a dedicated portal named ‘DG Shakti’ has been created to be launched by CM Yogi soon, said a government spokesperson. The spokesperson added that the entire process from registration to smartphone and tablet delivery would be free for the students who would not have to apply or register anywhere.
The colleges are transferring details of their students directly to the university which is feeding the data on the portal. Till Monday, data of about 27 lakh students had been uploaded on the portal, said officials.
The free tablets and smartphones will be given to around 68 lakh students enrolled in courses including graduation, postgraduation, diploma, paramedical, nursing courses and skill development programmes under the state government as well as to skilled workers enrolled on the government’s Sewa Mitra portal.
According to the senior government officials, the companies which will be given the work order for smartphones and tablets, will have to complete it in three months staggered as 40 percent in December, 30-30 per cent in the next two months.