ERP software to simplify laptop distribution

The government’s move assumes significance as there were several complaints in the selection process during the last couple of years.

Special Programme Implementation Department has been entrusted to monitor the implementation of flagship schemes of the government, in co-ordination with the concerned line of departments, to ensure that the benefit of the schemes reaches beneficiaries.

A senior official from the department told DT Next that the authorities concerned gather and update the current status of the implementation of free laptop schemes, provide information at regular intervals on the status of physical and financial achievements.

“However, it was found that there were some discrepancies in identifying the beneficiaries in certain areas”, he said adding “in order to clear the bottlenecks, it has been decided to develop ERP software, which provides transparency in selecting beneficiaries”.

The official said the ERP enabled system will look into duplication of beneficiaries and wrong information provided by the authorities from their respective districts.

According to the official, the government has finalised the tender to select a company for the supply of 15 lakh laptops. “The distribution of laptops will take place from January. Therefore, it is imperative for the school/college management concerned to follow the new steps for registering beneficiaries”, the official said.

The AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu has introduced the scheme of distribution of laptop computers to the students of schools, arts and science colleges, engineering colleges and polytechnic colleges, government and government aided institutions in the state from the year 2011-12.

From 2011-12 till now, 37.71 lakh laptop computers have been distributed to students at a cost of Rs 5,574.37 crore to the government. The scheme will continue to be implemented during this year –with an allocation of Rs 758 crore, about 5.5 lakh students are proposed to be benefited.