Begin typing your search...
Apple iPad scheme to be re-engineered
While the Commissionerate for the Welfare of Differently Abled in TN had in May had planned to provide support to the over 35,000 persons with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and 4,000 persons with Autism registered with the state government – in the form of devices to help facilitate communication through pictures, speech synthesis, the rise in prices of the devices has resulted in rethink of the project.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
Stating that iPads were to be distributed as per the plan, Arun Roy, Commissioner of the Welfare for the Differently Abled, said, “It was an unnecessary expenditure as the software ‘Avaz’, which was developed by an alumnus of the IIT-M, can also be installed on regular android phones.
We are therefore planning to reengineer the programme and hope to distribute the devices within five months.”
“We called for the tender for the ‘Apple iPad scheme’, as it is known, and the government sanctioned around Rs 25,000 for each device. However, the iPad now costs over Rs 37,000 each and we are unable to implement the programme owing to the rise in prices,” Arun said, adding, “I viewed the scheme after I took over and felt no need for iPads to be distributed as they are too expensive.
We can load the software on a smartphone, android phone or a tablet that is much cheaper.” A request was, therefore, put forth to the developer to consider giving the software.
“We will go for a tender for the software itself, for which they can quote the amount,” he added. The Commissionerate has constituted a committee to finalise the technical parameters of the tablet where android can also run – an android tablet.
“It does not make any sense in spending Rs 37,000 for the iPads – which is more than 10 times the cost of the software,” an official opined. With plans to buy the programme, the official said that it will take some time before the devices can be distributed – after Avaz, the software is loaded into them.
Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!
Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!
Click here for iOS
Click here for Android
Next Story
