Jaipur: The state government has set the target of starting the delivery of 1.33 crore smartphones to women heads of families under Mukhyamantri Digital Seva Yojana from October. The first-of-its-kind project, announced by CM Ashok Gehlot in the budget 2022-23, allocated Rs 12,000 crore to popularise the government social welfare schemes, bring transparency to the system and digitally empower women. The scheme includes a smartphone, three years of free data with 20 GB per month and free domestic calling and SMSes. Families enrolled with Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme are eligible to get smartphones.
“The phones will be delivered in a staggard manner as it is not easy for any telecom company to meet the demand of 1.33 crore mobile phones altogether. We are expecting to roll out at the beginning of October. Initially, the distribution will be of 2-4 lakh mobile phones per month and by December onwards we will be able to give away 10 lakh mobile phones every month,” said Chhatrapal Shekhawat, general manager, Rajcomp, a company under the department of IT.
The phone will come with a Mobile Device Management system which will update the user on the services/benefits they are entitled to. “The data will be shared district specific. For example, suppose a user is entitled to a benefit under the Public Distribution System (PDS). In that case, the phone will inform the user when the ration is available at the nearest shop,” said Shekhawat.
The department officials are working day in out to finalise the smartphone and data companies. “Samsung, Nokia and Jio have bid for the phones while Airtel, BSNL and Jio have bid for the data services. Soon the companies will be finalised,” said the official requesting anonymity, who cleared that phones which are available in the market under these brands are in the race. “The department is negotiating on the price and hoping to strike a deal with 20%-25% less than the market price on both the phone and the data,” said the source.
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