Sanchar Kranti Yojana (SKY) Chhattisgarh, is a free smartphone scheme announced by Chief Minister of the state. Under the Sanchar Kranti Yojana, the government has decided to distribute free smart phones to the people without taking any penny from them. As per the announcement, over 56 lakh smart phones will be distributed among the people.
The CM of state has rolled back a controversial order which mandated that Rs 600 crore would be taken from assistance given to gram panchayats by the 14th Finance Commission for his ambitious Sanchar Kranti Yojana.
The scheme was announced in his last budget under which, 56 lakh smartphones will be distributed and new communication towers will be set up. The plan had drawn criticism for incentivising private companies to set up towers from money taken from funds meant to develop gram panchayats.
On 4 February, sarpanches met CM at his residence and after the meeting, Raman Singh rolled back the decision and said the scheme would now be funded from the state Budget.
“I have met sarpanches and received phone calls from MLAs as well. At the end I feel it is the right decision to take back the decision and fund it from the state Budget itself,” Singh said. The money that had already been received from some gram panchayats would be returned within 15 days. The official orders regarding to the same would be issued on Monday. On February 10, the chief minister will present his Budget which may include the same.