In keeping with its pre-poll promise, the BJP-led government in Tripura has decided to provide smartphones to 14,608 final-year students who are pursuing undergraduate courses in government colleges, institutions and universities.

Before the last Assembly elections, the BJP’s manifesto had promised free smartphones for youths if the party was elected to power.

On Wednesday, education minister Ratan Lal Nath said in a recently-held meeting the cabinet had decided to provide smartphones under the Mukhyamantri Yuba Yogayog Yojana scheme.

“In our recent cabinet meeting, we have decided to provide the mobile phones to the youths under the Mukhyamantri Yuba Yogayog Yojana scheme. The need for a smartphone in this digitally connected world cannot be overemphasised. It is helpful in opening up huge opportunities for developing skills, providing resources to enhance knowledge and availing employment opportunities. Providing grants for purchase of smartphones to students of the final year will empower them digitally and help them leverage the advantages of an inter-connected world,” Nath said.

Adding that the scheme would be implemented from the financial year 2020-2021 and the benefit would be once in a lifetime, Nath said final-year students of undergraduate courses now would be benefited. “We have identified 14,608 students across the state who are in final year and pursuing their undergraduate courses from 38 government colleges, institutions and universities. More than Rs 7 crore will be spent,” Nath said.

He said the state government would provide Rs 5,000 to each eligible student for purchasing smartphones and the amount would be credited directly to their bank account.

“The entire process of filing applications will be done through an IT platform which has been developed by the directorate of information technology. After successful registrations they have to provide their personal information like dates of birth, addresses, Aadhaar numbers, names of their colleges and institutions along with their bank account numbers. On procurement of a smartphone, each student will update details of his smartphone on the online portal including invoice to be countersigned by the college/institute/university head,” Nath said.