For encouraging digitalisation in alignment with the “Digital India” initiative, the Karnataka state government will soon offer free laptops to 1.5 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) students.
Tweeting about this initiative NITI Aayog said, “Karnataka to give free laptops to 1.5 lakh BPL students to encourage digitalisation across all backgrounds @CMofKarnataka”.
#NewsFromNITI: Karnataka to give free laptops to 1.5 lakh BPL students to encourage digitalisation across all backgrounds @CMofKarnataka pic.twitter.com/uDfwSNz5YW
— NITI Aayog (@NITIAayog) August 3, 2017
The decision of providing free laptops to 1.5 lakh students was cleared by the Karnataka cabinet on July 19. The provision of the facility was provided to students who got admitted to government or aided medical, engineering and first grade institutions in the academic year 2017-18.
Reportedly, the State government is expected to invest Rs 300 crore for this project.
“Government has approved free distribution of laptops to students who have obtained admission in government and aided medical, engineering, first grade and polytechnic colleges for the academic year 2017-18,” said T.B Jayachandra, Minister of law, after a cabinet meeting.
“The estimated cost is Rs 300 crore… the government aims to cover 1.5 lakh students and the criteria is their family annual income should be below Rs 2.5 lakh,” he added.
Karnataka government’s intention in this regard digitalisation of higher education was announced earlier by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his budget speech.
