Union Telecommunications Minister A Raja launched the Centre-sponsored ‘free mobile phones to BPL households’ scheme on a pilot basis at Avinashi block in the district on Saturday.
The scheme, implemented through Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, was aimed at helping the families in the bottom of economic pyramid to be the part of telecom revolution underway in the country.
Mr Raja gave away 1,200 mobile phone sets with SIM cards to 1,200 households.
The beneficiaries were chosen from among the people below the poverty line who had worked under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for at least 25 days.
The beneficiaries were identified with the help of Tirupur district administration.
Of the total gadgets given away, 20 percent were received by people belonging to SC/ST community, 20 percent by households headed by women and the remaining by families chosen using other criteria.
Minister for State Highways and Minor Port M. P. Saminathan, Collector C. Samayamoorthy and senior BSNL officials were present.