Government distributes laptops to students with CM’s picture.

Team Udayavani, Jan 4, 2018, 12:43 PM IST

Bengaluru: The state government started distributing free laptops to the students from SC/ST communities studying in first year degree and diploma.

Government has scheduled to distribute laptops in early 2017, however due to the delay the students will be receiving the laptops while they complete second year degree or diploma. The laptops and laptop bags have CM Siddaramaiah’s pictures pasted on them.

A similar scheme was launched by former CM of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalitha in 2011 where the AIADMK leaders distributed free laptops with Jayalalitha’s photos pasted on the gadgets to the students of high school and college studying in government institutions.

The laptops and laptop bags with CM’s picture and Karnataka government logo has a tagline that says “free laptop scheme 2017” in Kannada.

CM Siddaramaiah distributed laptops to 50 students of Bengaluru Rural and Urban dsitricts. The government will give away more than one lakh laptops to the students across the state.

The 14 inch acer laptops originally costs Rs.14,490.  The total cost of the scheme is estimated around Rs.45 crores. The laptops will be distributed to the students of SC/ST community whose annual income us below Rs.2.5 lakh.