Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has issued an order for providing laptops to students on instalment basis at a reduced price as part of the Vidyashree Scheme. It has tied up with the Kerala State Financial Enterprises Limited and the Kudumbashree to implement the microcredit scheme aimed at reducing the digital divide which came to the fore last year as school education shifted to the online mode during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The government has included four brands including the one by American multinational HP, in the scheme. Apart from HP, the other companies that will provide laptops as part of the scheme are Lenovo, Acer and Coconics.
Initially, the government had fixed Rs 15,000 maximum price but later raised it to Rs 18,000.
The HP application was not considered initially due to slight technical differences in the sample laptop submitted for tender. Subsequently HP wrote to the state government. A technical inspection was conducted on the recommendation of the technical committee and HP was also empanelled for the scheme.
The selected laptops and key features
* Coconics CNBIC - EAN1: Rs 14,990 - Intel Celeron (R) N4020 processor, clock speed: 1.10 GHz, 11.6 inch anti-glare display. Carry bag/pouch.
* Acer TravelMate: B311-31: Rs 17,883 - Intel Celeron (R) N4020 processor, clock speed: 1.10 GHz, 11.6 inch anti-glare display.
* HP 245 G8: Rs 17,990: IMD 302 E with Radeon graphics CPU, clock Speed:1.2 GHz, 14 inch anti-glare display.
* Lenovo E41-55: Rs 18,000: IMD Athlon 3045 B with Radeon graphics CPU, clock speed: 2.3 GHz, 14 inch anti-glare display.
How the scheme works
Interested Kudumbasree members need to join the KSFE Sambadhya scheme and remit Rs 500 monthly without any break for three months. The scheme runs for 30 months. Those who have remitted three instalments would be given the opportunity to select the laptop of their choice through a special portal.
A loan of Rs 15,000 can be availed as microcredit for each laptop from the KSFE. The remaining amount will have to be paid as one-time deposit by the laptop buyer.
At present 1.44 lakh members of the Kudumbashree, a popular poverty eradication and women empowerment programme, have registered with the scheme and are waiting for laptops. The interested members can still apply for the scheme through the neighbourhood self-help group Ayalkootam.
The rationale for joining hands with Kudumbashree is that a significant number of the 46 lakh schoolchildren in Kerala hails from the families of Kudumbashree members.