The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Three-in-one package for rural areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 18, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Three-in-one package for rural areas

Special Correspondent

‘Unnati’ to be offered during ration card distribution

The offer is optional and costs Rs. 105
Package: SIM card, computer education, accident insurance

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Scheme: (From left) Chandrashekar, General Manager of BSNL; Sriram Raghavan, CEO of Comat Technologies; and K.K. Mishra, Executive Vice-President of Tata-AIG, at the launch of ‘Unnati’ in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Bangalore: When the process of distributing computerised ration cards to 90 lakh households begins in Karnataka by the end of June, rural and semi-urban households will also be offered an optional welfare scheme for a price, along with their cards.

“Unnati”, a scheme inaugurated here on Wednesday, is a three-in-one package priced at Rs. 105.

It will include a BSNL SIM card with pre-loaded talk time worth Rs. 10, enrolment for a 20-hour basic computer literacy course for one member of the family and personal accident insurance policy from Tata AIG to the head of the family.

Easy availability

CEO of Comat Technologies, Sriram Raghavan, said that the scheme is optional and is proposed to be launched during ration card distribution process. It will be made available in every village across the State in a phased manner. Since Comat has been working with the Food and Civil Supplies Department, the reach of this scheme will be smooth, he added. He said that it is a package that at once addresses issues of digital illiteracy, financial insecurity and connectivity.

Both Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje and Food and Supplies Minister Haratal Halappa, who were to attend the inauguration of the scheme, did not turn up.

More applications

Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Unnati scheme, Mr. Raghavan said that while 90 lakh ration cards were already in circulation, there had been 25 lakh more applications.

He said that these free applications, made prior to elections, will be scrutinised and the “ineligible ones weeded out”.

He said that those seeking permanent ration cards had already paid Rs. 45 to the government.

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