Chandigarh, August 10: The Punjab government said Monday it will start distributing smartphones to students for free on August 12. To avoid large gatherings, the launch of the distribution scheme will be organised at 26 different locations in Chandigarh and Punjab.

All district headquarters and some major towns will be covered on this day. "Not more than 15 students studying in that town/district will be invited at each location for handing over the smartphones,” said a government statement.

The state government had already announced to give smartphones to all boys and girls studying in Class 12 of the government schools across the state.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the government has chosen the auspicious occasion of 'Janmashtami' to launch the scheme.

Coincidentally, August 12 is also the International Youth Day, he said. Singh said the state government would fulfil its promise to people by providing them smartphones, adding these phones will be extremely helpful to the youth in accessing information as well as other learning material posted by the department of school education.

The state government received the first consignment of 50,000 smartphones and the remaining was in the pipeline. In the first phase, around 1.75 lakh phones would be given. Before coming to power in 2017, the Congress had promised to give free smartphones to youths in the state.

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