Punjab Free Smartphone Distribution Scheme 2021

Punjab free smartphone distribution scheme 2020 (Eligibility, Documents, Application Online Form, How to apply)

The Punjab government has come up with the initiative of offering free mobile phones to girl students of government schools. The scheme has been thought about with the main idea to offer facilities of digital learning to the poor students who are unable to get access to smartphones. Through this, the state authorities can also think of the empowerment of women and youth in the state at this serious hour of COVID-19. Let us go through the following part to get a better idea of other details of the scheme.

Punjab free smartphone distribution scheme  2020

Important features of the scheme

Main focus of the scheme –

The main objective of scheme launch is to empower girls and help them get access to online learning during the time of COVID-19. 

Target group –

The girl students of classes 11th and 12th and selected as the beneficiary of the above-said scheme. The girl beneficiaries are included in phase 1 of the scheme whereas; youth of the state are to be benefitted in the further phase of the scheme. 

Mobile device offered by state –

As per the first phase of the scheme, a total of 50, 000 smartphones will be given to the girl students. 

Benefits of youth –

Youths can get the option to get access to different online platforms with the help of mobile phones. It will have free internet accessibility for the help of the youths. 

Internet benefits –

With free smartphone, the candidates will be given 12GB of data and 600 minute of free talk time. This will make it easy for the children to use it.

Students of government school –

Previously, the students of both private and government school were offered the benefit. Unlike, previous time, now only the students of class 10^th and 11^th of government schools are allowed to take part in the scheme.

Therefore, it can be said that giving smartphones boosts the idea of digital empowerment in the state.

Features of mobile phones

Some of the features are common in the handsets, and they are follows

1. Different apps to get connected to social media 
2. Easy touchscreen interface 
3. Basic functionalities of mobile phone 
4. Internet connectivity 
5. Camera facility 

Eligibility criteria

Residential details –

Only the natives of Punjab are eligible to register for the scheme. Students of other states are not allowed to get the scheme benefits. 

Government school –

Students belonging to classes 11th and 12th are eligible to apply. 

Identification –

The candidates have to produce suitable identification proof at the time of registration under the scheme. 

Girl students –

The scheme will offer benefits only to the girl students studying in government schools. They can take part in the scheme irrespective of religion and caste.

Educational details –

Only the students of government schools can apply for the scheme benefits. They should have a proper school certificate to justify their eligibility.  

Required documents

Residential details –

As residential proof, candidates have to furnish documents that justify them as Punjab’s native residents.

Identification proof –

The students should produce a Voter ID card, Aadhaar card, or ration card at the time of registration for the scheme.

Education certificate –

The candidates should produce school certificates to justify that they are studying in government schools in Punjab. In addition, they also have to produce school ID card to know about the school information they belong to.

Income certificate –

The students who wish to get the benefits under the scheme should produce parents’ income certificates. It shall be scrutinized by higher authority to justify whether the student is eligible to avail of the scheme benefits. 

Implementation procedures

For the Free Smartphone Distribution Scheme 2020, an open bidding procedure will be encouraged. By this, the state government will select the mobile phone production vendor that will be given to the students. However, Punjab Information Technology Corporation will offer tenders for the manufacturing of smartphones under the scheme. Based on the discussion, the company will offer the first set of mobile handsets to the students by the stipulated time.

How to apply for the free smart phone scheme

As this is a newly launched, the Punjab state government has yet to come up with a detailed procedure for registering for the scheme. It can be expected to come up with an official portal of the scheme. The students need to visit frequently and get the required information. For the smooth procedure, the state government is planning to offer mobile phones in different phases. As of now, it has forwarded for the first phases, and it shall include many other beneficiaries in the future. After the first sets of phones are distributed to the girl students, the rest will be included in the scheme’s successive phases. While applying online for the scheme, the candidates should have the required documents for clarification.

Therefore, the state government is trying its best to provide help to the students of Punjab and help them get access to scopes of online learning.

Specification of the mobile

• Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said that 50, 000 thousand mobile phones will be given by state government to help the students
• The free mobile phones will be manufactured in bulk by Lava Mobile Company, which is an Indian Company
• The mobile phones will be installed with all basic features including camera facility
• Different mobile application along with educational curriculum will be installed in the mobile phone 

However, through this plan of the state government, no poor student should be deprived of the benefit of the scheme.

FAQ  

Other links –

• AP Jagananna Palle Velugu in Scheme
• YSR Janata Bazaars in Andhra Pradesh
• Punjab Ghar Ghar Rozgar Yojana
• Punjab Bhai Ghanhya Sehat Sewa Scheme