Rajasthan CM Gehlot launches free smartphone scheme for women

On Thursday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched a free smartphone scheme for women in the state.

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday launched the free smartphone scheme for women in the state.

The government, under the Indira Gandhi smartphone scheme, will transfer Rs 6,800 to the e-wallet of beneficiary women after the completion of their KYC process in special camps. The beneficiary can then purchase a mobile phone of their choice in the camps set up by the government.

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In the first phase of the scheme, around 40 lakh women and girl students will get smartphones with three years of free internet connectivity, officials said.

During the launch of the scheme at Birla auditorium here on Thursday, Gehlot handed over mobile phones to some of the beneficiaries.

On Wednesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had inaugurated the scheme by giving a mobile phone to a beneficiary during his rally at Mangarh Dham in Banswara district.

Gehlot said the scheme was not a “rewari” (freebie) as alleged by the BJP, but to empower the women.

He said calling it a freebie was an insult to the women.

“Knowledge is power and with this aim, smartphones are being given to women. The scheme will empower them,” the chief minister said.

He asked the women to use the devices to gain knowledge.

The chief minister said widows and single-women pension beneficiaries besides families having girl students have been selected in the first phase of the scheme.

He said the scheme was delayed due to the shortage of chips at the international market because of the Covid crisis.

The beneficiaries will have the liberty to choose their preferred smartphones in the distribution camps, facilitated by a deposit of Rs 6,800 through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) by the state government, the officials said.

Under the scheme, 1.35 crore women of “Chiranjeevi Families” will be given smartphones with three years of free internet connectivity, they said.

Chiranjeevi families are those which are enrolled in the government’s Chiranjeevi health insurance scheme.

In the first phase, around 40 lakh women and girl students will get the smartphones, the officials said.

An official said mobile phones of different companies will be made available in the camps.

Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra, Women and Child Development Minister Mamta Bhupesh and others were present at the launch function.