Free mobile phones for all poor families, UPA promises

[arp2041]

In what could turn out to be its calling card for the 2014 general polls, the UPA government is finalizing a Rs 7,000 crore scheme to give one mobile phone to every BPL family.

Sources in the PMO said that the scheme, Har Hath Mein Phone, expected to be announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on August 15, will not only aim to give away mobiles to around six million BPL households, it would also provide 200 minutes of free local talktime.

Top government managers involved in formulating the scheme want to sell it as a major empowerment initiative of the UPA-II. While the move will ensure contact with the beneficiaries of welfare programmes worth thousands of crores, there is also a view the scheme will provide an opportunity for the ruling dispensation to open a direct line of communication with a sizable population that plays an active role in elections.

The scheme is likely to be funded from telecom department's Universal Service Obligation (USO) funds. According to a source, 50% of the cost is likely to come from the bidder who gets the right to provide service and the remaining from the USO fund. According to estimates, the scheme will involve a monthly expenditure of Rs 100 per cellphone.

PMO is involved with the Planning Commission and telecom ministry in giving shape to the scheme.

The government has already launched a national infrastructure initiative under PM's advisor Sam Pitroda that aims to link 2,50,000 panchayats in 16 months through internet so basic communication facilities can be provided.


Free mobile phones for all poor families, UPA promises - The Times of India


Some important points to note:

1. When people in this country are dieing of hunger, this govt. is giving them free mobiles.

2. We are having budget deficit close to 6% of GDP, economy is in shambles, where from the govt. will bring Rs. 7000 crores for the scheme.

3. Many areas don't have electricity & other basic infrastructure & govt. priority is mobiles ( how the hell people charge there mobiles without electricity....).

So is this another freebie given by govt. just to garner votes??

 

[scorpionx]

Mobile call rates to rise 37-49 paise: COAI - Times Of India

They should circulate this news to the poor fellas too.Another peepli live in making..

 

[ashokdeiva]

Some important points to note:

1. When people in this country are dieing of hunger, this govt. is giving them free mobiles.

2. We are having budget deficit close to 6% of GDP, economy is in shambles, where from the govt. will bring Rs. 7000 crores for the scheme.

3. Many areas don't have electricity & other basic infrastructure & govt. priority is mobiles ( how the hell people charge there mobiles without electricity....).

So is this another freebie given by govt. just to garner votes??

These corrupt political system is making the people of the nation sitting lame ducks with their free bies.
one day or the other, the BPL people will not ask "WHAT I have done for the country, but rather what the country and its corrupt buracracy has given them for free"

 

[Phoenix89]

It's Vote bank politics nothing else...Looser UPA!!

 

[s1lencer]

they shud rather use that cash in developing educational institutions, cellphone is waste of cash ,BPL people will remain BPL forever if govt keep bringing out crap freebies

 

[sms]

It's an another big scam in making... 7000 crores ..too much for 60 lac phones and 200 min talk time each..simple maths...

1100 crore - 60 lac phone @ Rs 1850 - basic phone - cheaper version are also available
58.8 crore - 200 min talk time @ Rs 0.49 for 60 lac subscribers

1158.8 crore - total expanse hardware and air time

5840 crore - Distribution and project management -- aka --- UPA kitty

Its apparent that Congress will use this money make every on rich in congress and will use to buy UPA ally and local bodies to win next election


- bottom line ... 7000 crores can be used to provide ...

- free wheat for a year to 30 crore persons

or

- Free rice for a year to 20 crore persons

or

- Rs 33/ day for a year to 59 lac persons - without working and as per UPA planning commission those families will be out of poverty line as threshold was set at <Rs 32

or

- send 6 Lac kids to private schools to study

many more .... I'm starting to hate Congress and sp. Mr. M. M. Singh what a waste

 

[acetophenol]

*facepalm*

 

[karan.1970]

I dont know how do grown up people come up with such shenanigans .... Morons...

 

[Desi Guy]

Criticism forces UPA to drop cell phone scheme

NEW DELHI, Aug, 2012, DHNS
The Congress-led UPA government is understood to have put on hold a populist scheme of giving one free mobile phone set to every below poverty line (BPL) family ahead of the 2014 general election after party leaders cautioned that it may backfire on the government.

According to informed sources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was to announce the scheme, christened ‘Har Haath Mein Phone (a phone in every hand)’, during his Independence Day speech here. On second thoughts, the government decided to shelve the scheme, at least for now, on Wednesday.

The decision to defer the scheme, to cost a whopping Rs 7,000 crore, came after Congress leaders themselves reacted adversely. They are said to have advised the party brass and the Prime Minister himself that the government should not go ahead with the announcement.

Cell phone sales in India touched 213 million sets in 2011 and is expected to record a massive 231 million this year.

No power, no charge

Among the factors cited by the Congress leaders that could negate the purpose of the scheme and even boomerang on the government is, first and foremost, the dispute over the number of BPL families.

According to government records, there are six crore BPL families, while the states’ estimate 11 crore. Taking the middle path, the Planning Commission has put it at eight crore.

Power woes

The severe power shortage gripping several states may leave mobile users high and dry with no electricity to even charge their phones, leave alone use them, noted the leaders. Another pertinent question posed was whether these abjectly poor families would have money to spare to recharge their mobiles.

The BJP, which first came up with the scheme as part of its “Vision document in 2009, was now critical of the proposal. “This is clearly an election ploy. the government should provide electricity to villages first,” said party MP Balbir Punj

Criticism forces UPA to drop cell phone scheme