Smartphone scheme: Punjab minister asks people not to fall prey to fraudsters

Taking cognizance of some messages circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, he made it clear that the scheme is only for class 12 students of government schools. Thus, no question arises that it is for other people too,” Singla said, as per an official statement here. The education minister said the state government has not launched any website or social media platform to register for such smartphones for other people.

Punjab Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla on Friday cautioned people against falling prey to fraudsters promising to provide free smartphones under the 'Punjab Smart Connect Scheme'. Taking cognizance of some messages circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, he made it clear that the scheme is only for class 12 students of government schools. “They (class 12 students) have been provided with smartphones only based on their enrolment in government schools. Thus, no question arises that it is for other people too,” Singla said, as per an official statement here.

The education minister said the state government has not launched any website or social media platform to register for such smartphones for other people. Warning miscreants of strict action under cyber crime prevention laws, Singla asked people of the state not to follow any messages or click any URL message being circulated via instant messaging services or SMS, which shows registration for free smartphones given by the government.

The Amarinder Singh government on August 12 rolled out the much-awaited smartphone scheme by giving free mobile handsets to some class 12 students of government schools. The scheme will benefit a total of 1,74,015 class 12 students of government schools, bulk of them from rural areas, in the first phase which will be completed by November this year.

The state government had allocated Rs 100 crore for this scheme in the state budget for 2017-18..