Lucknow, Aug. 31: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav today hinted that his Samajwadi Party might promise free smartphones to the people before the 2017 Assembly elections
"Technology is the need of the time. Maybe we will give 4G-compatible mobile phones to the people of the state in future. We may include this in our manifesto, for which the people are waiting eagerly," Akhilesh said here today.
The chief minister said his government had already distributed laptops to a large number of students and now was the time to give more to the people.
However, Akhilesh did not approve a suggestion of chief secretary Deepak Singhal to provide free 4G connectivity in Lucknow's Janeshwar Mishra Park, which is visited by over 20,000 people every day.
"Remember that a large number of youths move in the park freely. Imagine what can happen there if they get free connectivity at such places," the chief minister said.
He was probably referring to the large number of cyber crimes reported in Uttar Pradesh. According to state police, over 30,000 cyber-related cases have been recorded at police stations of the state in the past year.
The Samajwadi Party had promised laptops to the students during the 2012 Assembly polls. It had won 224 seats out of 403 in the state, prompting the party to attribute a part of the performance to the laptop sop. Over 15 lakh laptops have been distributed so far.
The party had also promised in its manifesto of 2012 a one-time payout of Rs 30,000 as Kanya Vidya Dhan Yojana to each intermediate pass girl student and Rs 12,000 annually to each unemployed youth. These two schemes were implemented during the first three years of his rule.
Sources in the Samajwadi Party said the party think-tank was of the view that it could sail through the 2017 Assembly elections by announcing largesse.
"We had got wonderful dividends in 2012 by making promises in cash and in kind to all sections of the society. Obviously, we are thinking of attracting people again by promising more. This way, we can also minimise the loss that we may suffer because of poor law and order, which is a major drawback of our party's government," said a senior Samajwadi leader who did not want to be named.
