CM Naidu to give free smartphones for Andhra students
Synopsis
The Andhra Pradesh government intends to involve students in spreading "digital literacy" and simultaneously come up with various innovations The government has drawn up plans to establish an Innovation Society at state level
As part of its efforts to develop Digital Andhra Pradesh, the state government has come up with a new proposal to distribute smartphones to students free-of-cost as an "incentive for innovation".
A proposal to give incentive to the students by giving them free smartphones was mooted at the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
"It has been agreed in principle to give away smartphones but a final decision will be taken subsequently," a minister said.
Interestingly, the Telugu Desam Party government is yet to deliver the free mobile phones it had promised to women on the eve of the 2014 elections.
The government has drawn up plans to establish an Innovation Society at the state level - which will be a first of its kind in the country - with a view of promoting innovation, incubation anstart-upsps.
The society will have branches in each district and a chapter in colleges to involve students and promote innovation.
"We want to enhance digital literacy through the Innovation Society and ultimately create a Digital Andhra Pradesh," a minister said.
Apart from digital literacy, students would also be involved in water conservation, tree plantation and Swachh Andhra Pradesh programmes as well.
Students from Class 8 to those in engineering colleges would be made to take part in these activities every Saturday.