New Delhi: In response to a question posed by Bamanwas MLA Indra Meena regarding the continuity of the ‘Indira Gandhi Free Smartphone Yojana’ initiated by Rajasthan’s former chief minister Ashoka Gehlot, cabinet minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, responsible for information technology and communication, stated, “In compliance with the budget announcement for the financial year 2023-24, the smartphone distribution work was stopped due to the code of conduct.”
This scheme was launched by Gehlot in August 2023 and the government aimed to provide smartphones to 40 lakh women in the first phase. Over 400 mobile distribution camps were organised in the state.
In the final budget of the Gehlot government in 2023-24, it aimed to distribute smartphones to 40 lakh women in the state. Official data indicates that by October 9, 2023, the government had provided smartphones to 24,56,001 (this includes mobile phone with mobile data) women in the state which cost Rs 1,670.08 crore. The government further stated, “The future decision on the smartphone scheme will be taken after examining the benefits of this scheme to women and public interest.”
Gehlot’s scheme aimed to provide free smartphones to:
– Female students Classes 9-12 within all government schools of Rajasthan.
– Female students enrolled in government higher education colleges.
– Widows or single women within the state receiving a government pension.
– Family women who have fulfilled 100 working days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee.
– Women who have completed 50 working days under the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme.
All women from families registered under the Chiranjivi schemes were also eligible to receive free smartphones. Currently, there are 1.33 crore families registered under the Chiranjivi schemes.
This isn’t the first Congress-era scheme halted by the BJP-led government in Rajasthan.
Earlier, on December 25, the BJP government issued a notification to stop the Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitra Internship Programme, operational since 2021. The government had enrolled around 50,000 youngsters under the programme, and they were receiving a stipend of more than Rs 10,000 per month under the scheme. The move to end this scheme had been met with protests.
