New Delhi: The Rajasthan government will give free smartphones with three years of internet pack to 40 lakh women on the festival of Raksha Bandhan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced on Friday. The festival will be celebrated in August-end.


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"In the Chiranjeevi scheme, we have made all women the head (of the family). 1.35 crore women have become the head of the household. These women will get a smartphone along with three years of free internet," Gehlot said while addressing the people after visiting the price relief camp in Rawatsar town of Hanumangarh.


"We have decided that on Raksha Bandhan, 40 lakh smartphones will be given to women in Rajasthan," he added. The chief minister in his 2022 budget speech had announced that women heads of Chiranjeevi families will be given smartphones with internet access for three years. Under the Mukhyamantri Digital Seva Yojana, smartphones were to be given to about 1.35 crore women. However, the scheme could be implemented as phones in such large numbers could not be procured on time.


In February this year, the government told the assembly that it has made a budget provision to distribute the smartphones. According to the government, till January 30, a total of 1,37,82,951 families have been registered under the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme which provides an annual medical cover of up to Rs 25 lakh per family.