Government's 'Har Hath Main Phone' Scheme Promises One Mobile Phone For Poor Families

In what could turn out to be its calling card for the 2014 general elections, the government is finalizing a Rs 7,000 crore scheme to give one mobile phone to every family living below the poverty line.Sources in the PMO said the scheme—Har Hath Mein Phone—expected to be announced by PM Manmohan Singh on August 15, will not only aim to give away mobiles to around six million BPL households, but also provide 200 minutes of free local talk time.

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Top government managers involved in formulating the scheme want to sell it as a major empowerment initiative of the UPA 2. While the move will ensure contact with the beneficiaries of welfare programmes worth thousands of crores, there is also a view the scheme will provide an opportunity for the UPA to open a direct line of communication with a sizable population that plays an active role in polls.

Every poor family may get a mobile - Times Of India

So how does fit into the grand scheme of uplifting the poorer masses of India.. A friggin phone.!!

More bankrolls for the Chinese manufacturers .. Setup some small industry for God Sakes.

Nice initiative, but one problem, lots of people already have phones, in our city even rickshaw pullers have phones, will they get a phone too? Cause that will be a waste of money.

Second thing, what guarantee is there that these people won't sell the phone?

Third, if government start giving phones to very poor families in slums who do not have proper identity, then terrorists may get the phones from them, a major concern.

PS: Anyway, the cheap laptop project failed, doubt this will be any success, 80% of the money will be eaten away buy politicians and very cheap phones(read chinese cr@p) might be given.

I read the tile as "Har Haath Me laath' :lol:

So, what is the government's aim in doing this?

Whats frightening is the way govt procures its mobile at the uber premium price.

They (Ofcourse our tax paid money )pay for a Blackberry and end up procuring Micromax mobile. If the day is bright for them they may rise enough to procure Chinese Ultra low cost mobiles at maximum cost.

Freebies for BPL familes and considering how easy it is to register yourself as BPL Card holder here are few prepositions.

1)A Extra income of one thousand ,selling off the mobile and reporting theft or lost in not so genuine transits.

2) Free 200 Minutes Talk Time every month. Talk about 200 Rs or Topup Free Every month and suddenly i will want be in BPL

3)Large mobiles ending up in market for sale , most almost unused.

4)Heavy burden on the already burdened infrastructure Network.

And lets not fret over the fact that mobiles will help rural traders and farmers in getting good price for crops using mobiles. Those who need already have one.

Damn once you pay your tax its already there free for the government to spend in whatever way they feel.

How about using this money for educating BPL families so they learn and earn their own mobiles.

^^ Education is bad, educated people ask questions. :lol:

When I saw this yesterday morning in the newspaper, I was like dafuq? what?
This is shameless self promotion to buy vote from those people.

crap scheme. they should used that money for developing infrastructure or education.

How will they charge their phones if they have no electricity .. and does the govt. also plan to setting up 1000s of Cell Towers in remote areas too .. LOLZ

^^ Good points, maybe solar phones then? What will happen is that congress will get votes, politicians will get money, cell companies will be happy(200/- talk time), china will be happy(ofcourse congress will get some from china).

looks like they listened to the people...this plan has been scrapped by the PMO...

dexbg said:
How will they charge their phones if they have no electricity .. and does the govt. also plan to setting up 1000s of Cell Towers in remote areas too .. LOLZ

Bingo!

I think this government thinks everyone in this country is an idiot. I hope people don't prove them right.

They should rather do "Everyone gets 10mbps unlimited internet." In affordable cost of course.

papul1993 said:
They should rather do "Everyone gets 10mbps unlimited internet." In affordable cost of course.

Forget 10, give us no FUP 1MBps for 1k atleast(like MTNL afaik).

And I was wondering why the govenment hasn't come up with something stupid for so long....I have not been disappointed.

Let me see what my crystal ball says...I see massive mail(SMS) bombing during polls....another scam in the making....the poor getting free pizza (30 mins or free).

Elections are close. I can feel it.

Good it was scrapped. Not sure, how this would have helped apart from increasing the vote bank.

G

seems like abhishek bachchans crap ads like population control using 3g etc have enlightened govt...now he will now start his phase two series of ads...

it was great initiative to bailout telecom industry and companies like Reliance -communication .

this would only open more avenues for "eating" and "feeding" and of course, votes for the congress
sometime ago there was also a "Budget tablet" which was named on the hindi word for sky.we know what happened to it :wink:

hey, assuming they get elected we will have a "Har Hath Main Phone" scam in the news by 2016

we need more toilets rather than mobile phones.

+1...Good that the project is scrapped. Else there would have been a multi million mobile scam.

99% of anyone I see whether or not he is literate or illiterate possess a phone. so this scheme? :facepalm:

We are in the wrong direction.

phew.... this was one stupid idea

DafaQ , I don't see what use a mobile phone will serve to a hungry homeless , poor illiterate individual. It will instead benefit Chinese companies and help in promoting another multi-million scam.
Why dont they spend it on promoting education and healthcare facilities.

Isn't it all about Creating a damn VoteBank. ??

"Yaar sarkar kub badlegi ? Kab ?

"

A

There is more to it than distributing phones and later garnering revenues. Instead the government should aim of providing basic necessities to them like nutritious food and basic requirements.

No Food .............. No Problem , dont need it
No Shelter .............. No Problem At al .. the World is your Shelter
No Education .............Remember Gupi Gain Bagha Bain.......Porashuna kore je Onahare More Se
No Mobile.................Now Thats a Problem i can Solve.......... Promise to give me a Vote .............. Here take a Free of Cost Mobile

This is stupid. Waste money on unnecessary things!
Most of the ppl (even in villages) are havin mobiles for their daily activities!

Govt should concentrate on mass necessities and social welfare!

I WILL GIVE YOU THIS, IF YOU VOTE ME!

This type of attitude in elections seriously sucks!