CG Free Smartphone Scheme 2024 | Sanchar Kranti Yojana (SKY) PDF

CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana PDF Download at chips.gov.in: Chhattisgarh Sanchar Kranti Yojana (SKY) or CG Free Smartphone Scheme is a major initiative taken by Chhattisgarh government to improve the mobile penetration in the state. The CG Free Smartphone Distribution Scheme entails distributing a mobile phone to each rural households through PDS and bring them into the mainstream. The revenue potential from the phone connections will ensure that the telecom service providers augment the network at their own cost.

Chhattisgarh Free Smartphone Scheme 2024

President Ram Nath Kovind had launched Chhattisgarh Free Smartphone Distribution Scheme Phase 1 back in the year 2018. Under CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana, govt. will start distribution of free smartphones to around 50.15 lakh people in Phase 1 while 5.89 lakh additional beneficiaries would be covered in phase 2.

Marking the official launch of CG Free Smartphone Scheme, Indian President gave phones to 2 women beneficiaries and 1 college student. Chhattisgarh SKY Scheme 1st Phase will benefit 46.14 lakh rural and urban poor households and 4.01 lakh college students while 2nd phase will include 5.89 lakh beneficiaries.

Objectives of CG Free Smartphone Scheme

The major objectives of CG Free Smartphone Scheme 2024 are as follows:-

• Bring several unconnected areas of the state under mobile connectivity.
• Augment economic activity in the state through use of smart phones.
• Gender empowerment by enabling them to have mobile connectivity.
• Bridging the digital divide by connecting all and providing a digital identity.
• Implement large scale direct benefit transfer to the beneficiaries of government schemes through Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and smartphone.
• Financial inclusion through digital payments and access.
• Deliver services through Common Service Centers (CSCs).
• Increase financial and social inclusion and provide anywhere, anytime banking through smartphones.
• Use smartphone as a tool for participative governance, access to government and private services.

CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana is specifically designed to reduce the digital divide and to increase mobile connectivity which currently stands at 29% in rural areas as per SECC 2011 data. Around 13,900 villages will be covered under Chhattisgarh Sanchar Kranti Yojana (CG SKY) 2024. Chhattisgarh Free Smartphone Scheme will ensure various developmental activities to attain new heights in the region and state.

Salient Features of CG Free Smartphone Distribution Scheme

• Commit 50 lakhs connections to telecom.
• Negotiate good call rates, get commitment on tower installations.
• Procure phones from a reputed smartphone brand. Decent smartphones are available at cost as low as Rs 2000. Distribute the Mobile phone at Gram Panchayat, urban ward and college level. Smartphones are to be distributed to the woman head of each rural household covered under SECC/ NPR. All connected villages and villages having more than 1,000 population are to be covered under the scheme. Woman head of all urban households covered under BPL List 2007 will be distributed smartphones in urban areas.
• All college going students in the State including undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and certificate students will be entitled to get a smartphones. Students are to be given category II phones which will have higher specifications in comparison to category I phone which is proposed to be given to the rural and urban households.
• The phone number of the beneficiary can be pre-allocated. Could get linked to Aadhaar and Bank Account. Therefore the beneficiary cannot sell the phone connection.
• 1 GB per month free data for 12 months and 100 free local/ STD calling minutes valid for one year to be provided to the beneficiaries. Sell talktime (paid by the citizens) through the PDS/CSC at discounted (negotiated) rates.

CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana 2024 Beneficiaries

CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana shall be implemented in two phases and would be based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria for CG Free Smartphone distribution scheme includes rural poor, urban poor and college youth. Exclusion criteria includes Urban APL households. In 1st phase, urban and rural households will get 46.14 lakh smartphones while 4.01 lakh college students will get added to this number totalling it to 50.15 lakh smartphones. In 2nd phase of CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana, govt. will distribute free of cost smartphones to 5.89 lakh beneficiaries. The breakup of smartphone distribution across two phases is:-

Chhattisgarh Sanchar Kranti Yojana (SKY) Benefits

The main objectives of the Chhattisgarh Sanchar Kranti Yojana are aimed at achieving three fold impact encompassing individual, Government and Society.

The aim of this scheme is to provide free smartphones for the poor citizens and increase the mobile connectivity in the state. The government will distribute smartphones in two phases under “Sanchar Kranti Yojana”. The Chief Secretary-led committee has been constituted by the state government for the effective implementation of Sanchar Kranti scheme in the state. As per the provision, the service providers can install the towers on the government building for free. This service will be expandable, but the cost of service shall be paid by the company.

Impact of Sanchar Kranti Yojana (SKY)

• Economic growth
• Game Changer in LWE affected areas
• Financial Inclusion of Rural Population
• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT through JAM)
• Finding Employment Opportunities
• Mobile Banking
• Access to government and private services
• Disaster Management
• Mobile Phone, SIM Card, Data Transfer, Mobile Repair Shops Opening
• Women Empowerment

Smartphone Specifications – CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana

Each smartphone to be given to the beneficiaries of CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana would come up with the following specifications:-

In rural areas, the beneficiaries will be selected by the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development. The eligible beneficiaries in the urban areas will be shortlisted by the Urban Development Department. This scheme will also be implemented in colleges for the students by the Department of Higher Education.

Under Sanchar Kranti Yojana, the female members will also be covered. After receiving free smartphones, these phones will be connected to Aadhaar numbers and bank accounts of the beneficiary to check the misuse of this scheme. Furthermore, the users can also share their feedback on government’s policies and schemes using these smartphones. This scheme will help the youths to become digitally literate and remain updated about the state government’s schemes and policies.

For more details, download CG Sanchar Kranti Yojana PDF – https://www.chips.gov.in/sites/default/files/Vistrit_pariyojna_prativedan.PDF