Cyberage scheme under evaluation, says Kamat
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 2
Coming under severe criticism from the Opposition over the decision to stop Cyberage scheme, Chief Minister Digamabar Kamat today said the scheme is under evaluation and could be restarted if need be.
Cyberage, a unique scheme to give computers to students, was stopped by Kamat this year which invited criticism from several quarters.
“Since the scheme was started in 2001 around 80,000 to 90,000 households in the state have been provided with computers,” Kamat informed the House today.
He said, besides, teachers of high schools, higher secondary schools and colleges have also availed of the laptop scheme introduced by the government.
“Also, around 10,000 to 12,000 government employees have availed of the computer scheme,” he said.
Kamat further said that now that so many households have computers the government decided to evaluate it by stopping it for some time.
However, Kamat said “after evaluation if the government finds that some genuine people are being deprived we will work out some scheme.”
“If some genuine downtrodden people are affected then we will plug all the clause and work out a scheme for them,” he stated.
Earlier, Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar criticized the government for depriving students of the scheme.
He said that in today’s world computer education is a must.
“Computer literacy is compulsory in this age. We had not done it for entertainment,” Parrikar said.
“The chief minister has stopped the scheme and decided to give 20 computers to each school,” Parrikar said adding “…however how many of the schools in Goa are open for the students to learn computers?”
“90 per cent schools do not work in the evening,” he stated adding the policy will harm the downtrodden.”
