TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: Rooms, cars and motorcycles are frequently being rented out to tourists along the coastal belt and now, add another rentable item to the list: government-sponsored computers and laptops.
Believe it or not, a number of computers and laptops distributed by the government to students as part of the cyberage scheme have either been sold off or are being rented out to tourists along the coast in Canacona taluka.
The rich returns in tourism trade and the poor monitoring mechanism by authorities have enabled students to circumvent the system and divert the highly subsidized computers and laptops for monetary gains.
According to reliable sources, laptops and desktop computers are rented out to tourists and cyber cafés and many students, who had availed the equipment by paying negligible handling costs to the government, have been earning substantial money during the tourist season.
There are also claims that some students had even sold the laptops at a hefty price, after having an additional or better laptop in the house. Others have pointed out that some students sold the laptops to purchase smartphones of their choice, which according to them, is more useful and beneficial than taking a net connection for a laptop.
“Renting out laptops and even computers to tourists has been going on for quite some time along the coast in Canacona taluka, ever since the easy availability of wi-fi net connectivity in and around the beach rooms, huts and shacks,” said a reliable source.
“Earlier, many cyber café operators, who were providing Internet services during the tourism season, were reportedly hiring computers (desktop PCs) from students,” the source added.
It may be recalled that several students in the State have received computers under the Government cyberage scheme by paying a nominal handling charge of Rs 1,000.
A few students had, however, complained that the computers and laptops were substandard and were frequently in need of repairs. There were also complaints of
unsatisfactory after sales service by suppliers within the warranty period.
“Ever since the government, as part of its ongoing cyberage scheme, replaced desktop computers with laptops, there was a significant interest to rent out these laptops. Many students who have close contacts with stakeholders in tourism were quick to earn as fast buck by renting out these gadgets to needy tourists during their stay in the State.”
According to the source, the laptop rentals depend on the period and can range between Rs 1,200-1,500 for a week, Rs 3,000-4,000 for a fortnight and Rs 6,000-8,000 for a month.
“One student had rented out a laptop to a foreign national for three months, when the tourist had gone on a south-India tour.”
“Similar to renting out a two-wheeler for a self-drive, students have begun renting out their laptops to tourists. A majority lot of laptops rented out to tourists along the tourism belt of Canacona are the ones which were obtained by students from the government’s cyberage scheme,” the source added.
Sources from the education sector admitted that there has been poor mechanism to monitor if the laptops are being put to their intended use.
“When laptops are given away to students, there is no method to verify if the students are using them or even, if they are still in possession of them. If authorities try to ascertain the use of these laptops, the students give a number of excuses. They claim that the laptops have broken down and have been sent for repairs. Many of these gadgets are purposely rendered useless by replacing the working parts,” said the source.
“Many tourists, especially foreign nationals, prefer to travel light without laptops and benefit from such laptop rentals and the easy availability of wi-fi net connectivity in the coastal areas,” the source added.
