Bhopal: Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh on Monday launched “Mobile Tyohar (cellphone festival)” to distribute 50 lakh smartphones among women in rural areas, students and below poverty line (BPL) people in his state.
The scheme, flagged off by Bollywood star Kangana Rout, at Raipur was aimed at developing the state as “Smart Chhattisgarh”, an officer of Chhattisgarh government said.
The project estimated to cost Rs 520 crore would be launched in every district in the state in the coming days ahead of the Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, slated for November this year.
The allocation for the project has been earmarked in the Budget for 2018-19.
The smartphones being distributed under the project have apps which disseminates various programmes of the state government. The Opposition Congress had earlier cried foul over the distribution of free smartphones to the people by the state government, saying that it was meant to influence the electorates in the upcoming Assembly polls.
The Chhattisgarh chief minister also dedicated to the state 556 mobile towers erected to enhance connectivity to cater to the needs of the cell phone users.
