May give free mobile phones to UPites: Akhilesh

LUCKNOW: With 2017 assembly polls in sight, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party may include free distribution of mobile phones to UPites in its election manifesto as technology gave boost to economy.

While launching the 4G service of a mobile network in Lucknow, he said, “The Samajwadi Party is seriously considering to include distribution of free smart phones to the people of the state like we distributed laptops to the students, which was part of the party’s election manifesto in 2012.” The CM, however, did not specify if by UPites he meant the entire state population, which is over 20 crores.

The CM said technology was ruling the country and after the entry of 4G, smart phones would become essential for every individual. Yadav said in the past people used to say Samajwadi Party was opposed to technology but the party had proved everyone wrong with free distribution of 15 lakh laptops. He said very soon UP would turn into a mobile phone manufacturing hub. “UP would emerge as a leader in production of mobile phones, particularly smart phones. Several new mobile manufacturing companies already have units in Noida and its nearby areas and several new ones are coming up,” he said. Further claiming that UP was the biggest consumer market even for the mobile companies, the CM said investments in the state had gone up many folds during his regime.

Without naming the Congress party, Yadav said, “There is a party which faced a lot of criticism for corruption in selling 2G and 3G spectrum. The party has slipped away in the race.”

To a suggestion by state chief secretary Deepak Singhal that now that 4G service had been launched, towers should be installed near all police stations, tehsils and blocks, Yadav said technology was useful but one should aways remain watchful as well.

“When I wanted to install CCTV cameras in a playground of a school, the students protested saying they would have no place to go after bunking their classes if camera kept a watch on their activities,” he said adding making video phones available at police stations would create problems as everyone knew the relationship between police and thieves.

He further added that use of technology like CCTV at public parks and river banks could create problems and infringe upon the private moments of individuals.

Vodafone India managing director and chief executive officer Sunil Sood announced the 4G launch in Lucknow, the first company to do it officially in UP. After Lucknow, the company will expand its 4G service to 100 cities of the state with Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi receiving the priority by March next.