Though the government was prepared to provide free laptops to students of all government and aided schools and colleges simultaneously, the suppliers did not have the capacity to do so, said the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, on Thursday.
Intervening in the debate on demand for grants for the Department of Higher Education in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said the laptops were procured through tenders and companies that succeeded in the bid were in a position to supply the number of required computers only in phases. All these companies procured the hard disc required for the laptops from Taiwan where production was hit for several months last year due to flooding of manufacturing units. And hence, the delay in supply.
The government, she reiterated, desired to provide free laptops for all students at the same time. But the supply was made as and when the companies executed the orders.
