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Cong to continue e-scheme for students in Goa Mayuresh Pawar / Panaji July 13, 2005 Overcoming stiff opposition from his own party, Goa's Congress chief minister Pratapsingh Rane has decided to continue his predecessor's Cyberage Scheme which was launched three years ago. The scheme was the brainchild of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar of BJP. "We have decided to continue the scheme, which is a unique concept," state education minister Luizinho Faleiro said. He said the scheme has benefited many families in creating awareness about IT and IT enabled services. Under the Cyberage Scheme, the BJP government had made a provision for Rs 10 crore to enable every student in the state could buy a computer for Rs 500 in the rural areas and for Rs 1,000 in the urban areas. The Congress, which assumed power in the state courting controversy, had initially put the scheme on ice. With the conflicting statements coming from the Governor and Congress leaders, the future of the scheme was under suspicion. However, the reassurance from the education minister has cleared all doubts. Almost all formalities for implementing the scheme are through and the education department is waiting for the government's nod to place orders for procuring computers. Companies for supplying computers have been shortlisted. The education department has even collected money from students who wish to avail of the scheme. So far, 13,538 computers have been distributed under the Cyberage Scheme. In its first year, i.e. 2002-03, 2,809 machines were distributed by the department. The distribution log-sheet for the next year shows orders for 10,629 machines in 365 high schools, 80 higher secondary schools and several colleges. Not a single computer has been given away in the current academic year, though. "The political turmoil in the state has hampered the scheme," said Anil Powar, deputy director, education department. "The department is receiving a large number of inquiries from students for the Cyberage Scheme and most of them have also paid the money for computers," he said. The Parrikar government had planned to expand the scheme by distributing 12,000 multi-media computers and subsidised Internet connections. "The Cyberage Scheme would have benefited all the students. The whole family could turn computer literate through the scheme," said Parrikar. Talks were on with Reliance and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to provide Internet connectivity for the students at a subsidised rate. But, the matter was not pursued due to the fall of the Parrikar government, sources in the education department said.
