Akhilesh announces free distribution of smart phones in UP

Lucknow, Sep 5 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister AkhileshYadav has announced free distribution of smart phones fromlatter half of the year, a move that replicates SamajwadiParty’s experiment of promising free laptops to students aheadof 2012 polls. Government employees and their wards however, will not beeligible for this scheme. "The government has decided to start Samajwadi Smart Phonescheme to help a two-way communication between the governmentand people and also take direct feedback on the variousschemes of the government," an official release quoting theChief Minister said. "The distribution of smart phone will start in the secondhalf of 2017 on the basis of first come/registration, firstserve basis," it said. In 2012 elections, the Samajwadi Party had securedcomplete majority and one of its main poll promises wasdistributing free laptops to students. "The phone will have a detailed app through which allinformation about the state government using audio-visual andtext will be provided to people," the release said, addingbeneficiaries will be selected in a totally transparentmanner. "Selecting the beneficiaries online, the smart phone willdirectly reach them to avoid any corruption. The registrationfor the same will start in a month’s time. Those having passedHigh school and completed 18 years of age on January 1, 2017,provided their family income is less than Rs 2 lakh rupees ayear, will be able to apply," it said. Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are slated to be heldearly next year.(MORE) PTI SAB MNG ZMNMNG