LUCKNOW: The UP govt has in three years from 2021 to 2023 distributed 46.75 lakh gadgets — 19.84 lakh tablets and 26.91 lakh smartphones — under the Swami Vivekananda youth empowerment scheme. The scheme focuses on equipping students with essential skills to meet present and future challenges, officials said.
The govt is making efforts to distribute 13.14 lakh digital devices, including 12.94 lakh smartphones and 20,000 tablets to the students, officials said.Under this, 100% distribution of smartphones has been done in eight districts, while in six districts, over 70% tablets have been given to students. Districts with complete distribution are Hardoi, Kannauj, Jalaun, Kasganj, Moradabad, Pratapgarh, Rampur, Unnao, Etah and Mirzapur.
For tablets, Sambhal leads the state with 79.3% followed by Moradabad with 74.8%, Bareilly with 74.1%, Shamli at 72.5% and Saharanpur with 71.3%. With 70.3% of the tablets distributed, Ghaziabad is at 6th position, Pratapgarh with 69.9% is at 7th place, Gorakhpur with 69.7% is at 8th place, Hathras with 69.6% is at 9th and Bijnor with 69.2% is at 10th place.
Besides empowering youth the tech way, the govt is also focussing on ways to enhance access to welfare schemes and monitoring various skill development courses through Digi Shakti portal, officials said. Launched as a pilot project in 2020-21, the initiative aims to technically empower the students, officials said.
Implemented in the fiscal year 2022-23, the Swami Vivekanand youth empowerment scheme aims to benefit undergraduate and postgraduate students, diploma course participants, skill development trainees and those enrolled in paramedical and nursing programmes at higher learning institutions through distribution of gadgets, for a period of five years.
The scheme represents a significant advancement in realising CM Yogi Adityanath's vision of youth empowerment, said a govt spokesperson. The govt is identifying districts with lower distribution rate for tablets and smartphones to ensure timely delivery to all, he added.