Darj Police gives away cell phones to pupils: 130 students were handed over the phones at an event at Bhanu Bhawan

SNS, DARJEELING, 18 AUGUST 2021 : Darjeeling Police, in collaboration with the Headmasters' Association, has launched a project "Rokiney Chaina Siskha (education will not stop) under which underprivileged students of classes 9 and 10 will be given with mobile smart-phones so that they can continue with their online classes.

As part of the first phase of the programme on Tuesday, around 130 students were handed over the phones at an event at Bhanu Bhawan, where Inspector General of Police, North Bengal, Darjeeling DIG and Darjeeling SP were present.

Speaking at the programme yesterday, Darjeeling SP Dr Santosh Nimbalkar said, "The Bengal CM has started such an initiative for students of class 11 and 12, so we thought of starting it for students of class 9 and 10. Due to the Covid pandemic, students are now dependent on online education for their studies. However, students from financially weak backgrounds cannot afford mobiles and we did not want their education to suffer due to which we started this. We have also spoken with Internet providers and asked them to set up mobile towers in remote areas so students can get internet connection."

Adding to that, Darjeeling ASP S Bhattacharya said, "This is our first phase and we will be doing the same in the second phase, but before that we are appealing to NGOs to try and donate mobile phones before we can distribute them."