Question: Which State government has recently decided to launch the “Sanchar Kranti Yojana (Sky)”?
(a) Jharkhand
(b) Assam
(c) Chhattisgarh
(d) Rajasthan
Answer: (c)
Related Facts:
- On August 23rd, 2017, in a cabinet meeting headed by CM Raman Singh, the government of Chhattisgarh has decided to start the “Sanchar Kranti Yojana (Sky)”.
- Yojna aims to reduce the digital divide between Rural and Urban Chhattisgarh.
- Around 55 lakh Smartphone for free will be distributed under the Sanchar Kranti Yojna.
- In the first phase in 2017-18 and 2018-19, 50.8 lakh phones would be distributed to families living in villages having full or partial mobile network coverage with a population of over 1,000 and besides urban poor families and youth enrolled in colleges.
- Rest 4.8 lakh Smartphone will be distributed in villages which have a population of less than 1,000, and lack mobile network coverage.
- If there is a female member of the family, the Smartphone would be issued in her name.
- Phone numbers allotted to beneficiaries with handsets will come pre-linked to Aadhaar number and bank accounts of beneficiaries.
- The Department of Panchayat and Rural Development would select the beneficiaries in rural areas while the urban development department would list out the eligible people in the urban areas.
- The Department of Higher Education would prepare the list of beneficiaries in colleges.
- The government will provide the roof of Government buildings free of cost for installing mobile network tower under the scheme.
- A committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary will be constituted for effective implementation of this scheme.
- According to the Social Economic Census 2011, the density of mobile phones in Chhattisgarh is the lowest.
- Only 29 percent of households (national average 72 percent) in rural areas of this State have phones.
Reference:
https://twitter.com/ChhattisgarhCMO/status/900391423731580928
http://hindi.business-standard.com/storypage.php?autono=137829
http://asiannewsservice.in/en/chhattisgarh/12848/
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/chhattisgarh-govt-to-distribute-over-55-lakh-smartphones/1/1032622.html