West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also stated that the RT-PCR test will be accomplished at a more affordable price in the state. (Photo supply: IE)
Ahead of West Bengal Assembly elections 2021, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced a slew of sops – from no cost tablets to a hike in dearness allowance (DA). The Trinamool Congress chief stated that no cost tablets will be provided to greater secondary students as they are standard needs in an age of on the net classes. She stated that no cost tablets will be provided to the student of each schools and madrasas and the move will advantage about 9.5 lakh students.
She also stated that the RT-PCR test will be accomplished at a more affordable price in the state. The price of the test for coronavirus has been brought down to Rs 950 from Rs 1,250. The test price Rs 2,250 earlier in October. At present, more than 3,000 new coronavirus good circumstances are getting reported day-to-day.
The timing of these announcements holds significance as state Assembly elections are about the corner.
“Because of the coronavirus pandemic, students are forced to attend online classes but many failed to attend it because they cannot afford to buy computers. There are several students who don’t have smartphones either. This is why we have decided to provide tablets to all students of higher secondary schools. There are almost 636 madrasas and 14,000 higher secondary schools,” she stated at the Nabanna state secretariat.
Without mentioning a particular timeline by which students will get tablets, the chief minister stated that the government will attempt to distribute them at the earliest immediately after floating tenders. She was speaking through a meeting with West Bengal State Government Employees’ Federation. She also asked West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee to verify the possibility of supplying tablets to students of other classes as well.
On a 3 per cent hike in DA, Mamata Banerjee stated that regardless of the Central government owing Rs 85,000 crore in dues, her government is paying complete salary to state personnel.