The previous Vijay Bahuguna Government's laptops distribution scheme by which the MBBS and engineering students from the weaker sections of the society i.e. from the SC/ ST categories are to be equipped with these modern gadgets is yet to see the light of the day.
More so, the budgetary support that had been given to implement this scheme by the previous Government, has also now been drastically reduced.
Initially, whereas an amount of about Rs9 crore was allocated to implement the scheme now about 50 per cent of the said amount has been slashed with only Rs5 crore presently kept aside for the execution of the big ticket scheme of the previous Government.
The budgetary support being cut almost by half, it seems that only about 1,000 MBBS and engineering students from the weaker sections of the society will be covered under the scheme. Earlier, when the budgetary allocation of Rs9 crore was provided for, a total of 2,400 MBBS and engineering students from the weaker sections hailing from all the 13 districts of the State were supposed to be covered under it.
Notably, the social welfare department, Uttarakhand, has been assigned the task of providing laptops to the MBBS and engineering students from the weaker sections. However, when quizzed about the delay in the implementation of the said scheme, G R Nautiyal, Deputy Director, the social welfare department, informed The Pioneer that things are not being implemented due to the delay in the completion of certain formalities like tendering process.
Earlier, on account of cancelation of the tendering process- only two companies had participated in this process- the laptop distribution scheme was delayed. Now the tenders have again been floated. The tenders are likely to be opened on September 27 as September 26 has been set as the last date for participation in it, he added. It is to be seen how many agencies take part in the tendering process. If this tendering process goes as per the norms this will take things far towards the implementation of the scheme, maintained the officials concerned of the social welfare department.
It is to be noted that the State Government’s plan to bring the educated but unemployed youths under the unemployment allowance scheme would be aptly supplemented by the implementation of the laptop distribution scheme However, with things hanging fire, it is difficult to say when they would start taking shape on the ground.