“Free laptop scheme, great leveller”

September 18, 2011 09:15 am | Updated 09:15 am IST - MADURAI

K. Raju, Minister for Cooperation, presentinga laptop to a student in the city on Saturday. Photo: S. James

K. Raju, Minister for Cooperation, presentinga laptop to a student in the city on Saturday. Photo: S. James

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has once again reiterated that all students of government and aided schools, immaterial of their economic background, are equal by distributing laptops to them, the Minister for Cooperation, K. Raju, has said.

“Your uniform has made you (students) all equal in the school. Similarly, distribution of laptops has also reiterated it. Some of you (belonging to economically sound families) can afford to buy laptops. Many students (who cannot afford to it) can only long for it. But, now every one of you will get it (free of cost),” Mr. Raju said.

He was addressing students of Madurai Corporation Ponmudiyar Higher Secondary School at a function organised to commence distribution of laptops in Madurai district on Saturday.

“No other State in the country has such a scheme,” he said. The scheme would help the country realise former President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's vision 2020, and the Chief Minister's objective of making Tamil Nadu the number one State in the country, Mr. Raju added.

A total of 54,049 students of higher secondary classes, polytechnic colleges, arts and science colleges and engineering colleges in the district would get the laptops during the current year.

Madurai Collector U. Sagayam said the laptops would induce revolution in the field of Information Technology. The laptops have reached the students of Government schools, which were the last faith for the poorest of the poor people, he said.

The Minister advised the students to make the best use of the laptops in the positive ways.

Corporation Commissioner S. Natarajan said that laptops had become indispensible for students pursuing higher education and the government scheme has ensured that even students of higher secondary classes got it.

All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLA (Madurai North) A.K. Bose, Chief Educational Officers Sridevi (Madurai district) C. Vaidhyanathan (Madurai Corporation) were among those who spoke.

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