From Our Special Correspodent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Apr 29: Here is some good news and bad news for the Pre-University Students of Karnataka.
First, the bad news: The PU Students would not be given free laptops during the coming academic year of 2014-15.
The reason: The tight financial position of the State Government.
Now, the good news: PU Students across the State would definitely get free laptops before the completion of the five-year term of the present Congress government in the State.
Will the State Government keep its promise by 2018-19?
Possibly. Because the promise comes from none other than the State’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also the finance minister.
Is there a catch?
Anything is possible, because there is speculation in political circles that Siddaramaiah is unlikely to last for the full five-year term if the ruling Congress party fares very badly in the Lok Sabha elections, when the results are out on May 16.
Siddaramaiah, who spoke to reporters at his official residence Krishna, said the government would not be in a position to distribute laptops to students in the coming academic year (2014-15) owing to financial difficulties.
The promise of distributing free laptops and napkins for high school girl students was made by the Government in Governor H R Bhardwaj’s address to the joint session of the State Legislature.
The Chief Minister said some of the promises made by the Congress in the election manifesto have been fulfilled.
The people had given a five-year mandate to the Government.
``We will definitely provide laptops and napkins for students during the remaining term of the government,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said the party had prepared the election manifesto for the five-year period.
No promise made in the manifesto would remain unfulfilled, he added.