Rajasthan's 'Free Mobile Yojana' promises to be gamechanger for women

ARCHANA SHARMA

Jaipur, June 18 (IANS) Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will be giving free mobile phones to the women of the state under Rajasthan Free Mobile Yojana 2023. Now, the question being exchanged is, if this scheme for women can be a gamechanger. As per officials, it is directly going to benefit around 1.33 crore eligible women of the state.

While BJP leader Nimisha claimed that the Gehlot government has woken up late to make this announcement at a time when the world's cheapest internet services are being availed by women in india, Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said that the scheme will script a new story of growth for women section of the state.

"There are many ambitious schemes being chalked out by the Congress government in Rajasthan which will directly help women. They can now avail a gas cylinder for Rs 500. Also there are free medicines and heath benefits being launched by the state government and through the free mobile, they can stay updated of such schemes and get the benefits," Chaturvedi added.

However, Nimisha said, "India is the second top manufacturer of mobile in the world and in present times, each citizen of the country is using mobile. Gehlot ji Der se jage (Gehlot has waken up late).

She added, "When world's cheapest internet is already being used by women, and they are now launching their own startups and rural females too are scripting their success story, Gehlot government's new announcement comes as a part of election freebies," she commented.

Nimisha further said that the women neither feel safe nor being respected hence the government should focus on law and order rather than issuing such freebies.

Meanwhile, Chaturvedi said, "Rajasthan is the only state which is scripting a success story in pension and social schemes. We are the only one to take women as head of the family and give them the benefits of phones and free data so that they can smartly use the phones for their uplift."

It needs to be mentioned here that Gehlot government has announced free mobiles for women. He said that if tender doesn't happen, such a facility will be made that women can buy mobile phones themselves as they will be transferred money in their bank accounts to buy mobiles.

First, an amount would be fixed for the phone and then the money would be transferred to the bank accounts of eligible women. With this, women will be able to buy phones with their own choice. Women can buy mobiles on their own and decide which model, which company, how much GB mobile they want, they can buy smart phones of their choice, to ensure they script a smart empowerment story, said Gehlot.

Also, if they get money in their own account, there won't be any complaint that some women has got mobile from one company while others have received mobile from other country, he added while speaking on challenges if companies can make delivery of such a huge number of mobile stock.

It needs to be mentioned here that the Congress government in the state has announced to give free mobile phones to 1.33 crore women in three phases. The first phase will be during Rakshabandhan, in which it has been promised to distribute phones to 40 lakh women.

Gehlot announced the launch of Rajasthan Free Mobile Yojana 2023 during the budget speech 2022-23. Through this scheme, free mobile phones will be given to women heads of 1.33 crore Chiranjeevi families of the state. Internet data up to 3 years will also be given absolutely free in these mobiles.

Rs 1,200 crore will be spent by the government on Rajasthan Free Mobile Yojana 2023.

Now, discussions are on if this scheme can be a gamechanger in view of the assembly polls scheduled to be held in or before December 2023, and if Gehlot can get votes from the women section by making them subscribers of smart phones and free data.