New Delhi: The Rajasthan government will give free smartphones along with three years of internet packs to 40 lakh women on the festival of Raksha Bandhan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced on Friday. The festival will be celebrated in August-end.
Gehlot said, “In the Chiranjeevi scheme, we have made all women the head (of the family). 1.35 crore women have become the head of the household. These women will get free internet for three years along with a smartphone.” People after visiting the Price relief camp in Rawatsar town of Hanumangarh.
“We have decided that 40 lakh smartphones will be given to women in Rajasthan on Raksha Bandhan,” he said. The chief minister had announced in his 2022 budget speech that women heads of Chiranjeevi families would be given smartphones with internet access for three years. About 1.35 crore women were to be given smartphones under the Mukhyamantri Digital Seva Yojana. However, the plan could not be implemented as such a large number of phones could not be procured in time.
In February this year, the government told the assembly that it had made a budget provision for the distribution of smartphones. According to the government, till January 30, a total of 1,37,82,951 families have been registered under the Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana, which provides an annual medical cover of up to Rs 25 lakh per family.