State govt to launch free smartphone scheme for Class 12 students on Aug 12

The phones will be sent through district education officers for distribution among the students. VIJAY INDER SINGLA, state school education minister

SANGRUR/CHANDIGARH:THE key poll promise of the Congress party in the 2017 state elections to provide smartphones to the youth is finally seeing the light of the day as Capt Amarinder Singh government is starting the distribution of the gadgets among Class 12 students from August 12 that marks the International Youth Day.

In the first phase, 50,000 ‘LAVA’ phones will be distributed even as the strength of the Class 12 government school students in the state is 1.78 lakh.

Secretary, school education, on Monday wrote to all deputy commissioners to organise small functions at their offices or at any other appropriate place on August 12, in accordance with the

Covid-19 safety guidelines, to launch the scheme. The rear of the phone carries a picture of chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh with slogan ‘Captain Smart Connect’ written on it.

“The government will gradually provide smartphones to all Class 12 girls and boys across the state. The phones will be sent through district education officers (DEOS) for distribution,” said school education minister Vijay Inder Singla. “We had passed a special budget for the smart phones. Orders for more phones will be placed soon,” added Singla.