No Chinese link, 50,000 smartphones ready for distribution: Punjab CM

CHANDIGARH: Responding to concerns expressed by the Punjab Youth Congress representatives on the delay in fulfillment of the poll promise to give smart phones to youth, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh said on Tuesday that the first batch of 50,000 smart phones had arrived from the company.
He added that the company had now clarified that it had no connection with China.The phones, he said, would be distributed first among girl students of government schools of Classes XI and XII, with priority to those who do not have smart phones so that their online learning can be facilitated amid the Covid crisis.
Amarinder also told the PYC that the Bargari case is getting delayed due to the CBI's refusal to hand over the investigations and return the case file, the CM said during a video conference with the PYC president Birender Dhillon and his team. The false propaganda being spread by the Opposition on the issue needed to be countered effectively, he stressed, urging the youth leadership to take this and other matters of importance to the government to the people at the grassroots. When his attention was drawn to complaints of rampant corruption at the lower levels of the government, Amarinder assured an immediate probe and suitable action by the vigilance bureau.
Amarinder also assured the youth leaders that student elections to public universities in the first phase will be held as soon as the Covid situation improves, with the private institutions to follow at a later stage.