UP to launch ‘Free Smartphone Yojna’ on December 25.

Why in news?

• Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government is set to distribute free smartphones and tablets to about one crore final year students in the state, starting from December 25.

About ‘Free Smartphone Yojna’

• The launch of new scheme marks the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• Number of students, including girls, from every district of the state likely to get benefit from the scheme.
• The state government will offer cellphones and tablets to students in their last year of high school and higher as part of the program.
• The chief minister will hand away 60,000 smartphones and 40,000 tablets to the youths.
• The candidate must be a student and a resident of Uttar Pradesh.
• Students in their last year of MA, BA, BSc, ITI, MBBS, MD, BTech, and MTech, among other programs, will be given priority.