The Kerala government is going to introduce the laptop scheme 2020 for students belonging to economically weaker section to reduce the digital divide in the state. Finance Minister TM Thomas Issac has announced a joint venture B / W of Kerala State Financial Enterprise (KSFE) and Kudumbashree on 23 June 2020. There will be a micro finance scheme to fund students to buy laptops. In this scheme, the government will provide a laptop of Rs. 15,000 to poor students on easy installment of Rs. 500 PM for 30 months
KSFE will spend 75% of the cost to local bodies. The concerned local bodies are willing to spend the remaining 25% to setup online studies for weaker sections. Other initiatives like Kerala Fiber Optic Network (K-Fone) Free Internet Scheme for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families will be launched by December 2020.
Government of Kerala. Laptop Scheme 2020 for poor students
The Finance Minister of Kerala has announced the launch of a new initiative to promote online education learning. These initiatives are as follows: –
- KSFE funds Kudumbashree to buy laptops to microfinance students – the laptop costs Rs. 15,000 will be purchased by companies from IT companies. Loanees should be repaid in 30 installments of Rs 500 per month. After 3 months in the plan, members will get Rs 14,250 to buy the laptop. For those who pay installments on time, KSFE will pay their last three installments.
- KSFE Chit Fund Scheme for Kudumbashree Workers – The Chit Fund Scheme in KSFE can involve around 40 lakh Kudumbashree workers. After 3 months Rs. 500 monthly installments, laptops will be provided to these workers. Payments for laptops can be made in installments for 30 months. Members who do not need a laptop can also join and will be paid. KSFE will also send the last 3 installments to defaulters. No security will be required to obtain a laptop.
- Establishment of Online Study Centers – To set up online study classes, KSFE will fund 75% of the expenses to local bodies and the rest will have to be borne by local bodies. These local bodies will buy items like TV, local bodies and KSFE should produce a Utility Certificate. Once local bodies identify a public place to establish an online study facility and identify beneficiary students, KSFE will issue a check in two or three days. Apart from local bodies, other agencies are also free to set up such common facility centers.
KSFE branches and local bodies will implement the scheme and television will also be installed in public places for students to watch and learn. Looking at the COVID-19 situation, he said that all students must have laptops. The Kerala government will launch the scheme to be implemented by KSFE.
Kerala Fiber Optic Network (K-Fone) Free Internet Plan
State government. Kerala will launch the Kerala Fiber Optic Network (K-Fone) scheme by December 2020. In this project, the government will provide free internet to 20 lakh BPL families with an outlay of Rs. 1500 crores Rs. Financially vulnerable families will be provided with high speed internet connection absolutely free of cost. Also, families who do not fall in the BPL category will get net connectivity at cheaper rates. The K-FON project will give a push to the digitization of government services, like the e-health program. IT parks, airports and seaports will also benefit from the linkage.
All licensed Internet service providers (ISPs) and cable TV operators can use fiber optic networks to provide services to their citizens. In the K-Fone project, Internet connectivity will be provided to hospitals, schools, government offices and other institutions. The K-FON scheme will provide major benefits in Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Internet of Things and Startup Domain areas. Government around 30,000. Offices and educational institutions will be connected through high speed networks.
Many small-scale enterprises that use the e-commerce platform benefit from the K-FON scheme. High quality video conferencing and transportation management are other important benefits of the scheme. The K-Fon fiber optic network will also link all mobile towers in the state for better mobile Internet services. State government. The principal of Kerala will partner with private ISPs to provide seamless bandwidth connectivity.
Poor K-FON Free Internet Connectivity Required
Kerala Fiber Optic Network (K-FON) scheme will prove to be very beneficial for poor citizens. Lower class people are not able to get internet services as the cost of internet pack per month is high for them. Now the state government will provide free high speed and high quality internet connection to poor BPL people and provide affordable prices to others.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that Kerala is the only state in the country that has declared the Internet a fundamental right for its citizens. The K-Fone project is implemented by Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited and Kerala State Electricity Board. Optical fiber cables were laid across the state using KSEB posts. The Kerala Fiber Optic Network Scheme will act as a catalyst for the knowledge-based economy implemented by the state.
As the importance and relevance of the Internet in the COVID-19 scenario will increase, Internet usage in banking and education sectors will increase greatly. The K-FON project will provide major support to the government’s efforts to develop Kerala as a major educational, industrial and tourism destination in the world.