Chennai: After announcing the Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme on Saturday and a 3,000 Pongal gift on Sunday, chief minister M K Stalin stepped up the govt’s welfare push for the third consecutive day on Monday by launching a free laptop scheme for college students, titled ‘Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil’. Govt will distribute 10 lakh laptops in the scheme’s first phase. “A laptop is not an expense. It is an investment,” Stalin said at the launch event held in the city. The free laptop scheme was introduced by the late CM J Jayalalithaa in 2011, but was discontinued in 2020.“Laptop is not a gift but an opportunity to rule the world. Will you use it for movies and games, or as a launch pad for your career? Everything has two sides, and how you use them is more important,” Stalin told students. “Mere degrees are not enough. You should constantly upgrade to grow in your field. You (students) should be technically updated, and for that laptops will be helpful,” he said. Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin said, “The best laptops in the industry with the latest configurations are being given.” Former ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai, who was the chief guest, said the laptops will provide an opportunity for students to use artificial intelligence technology better. “AI will change the nature of jobs in the future. Only those who develop skills required for the future will survive. Hence, utilise the laptops efficiently,” he said. MSME minister T M Anbarasan and higher education minister Govi Chezhian inaugurated a technical exhibition as part of the event. Ministers Thangam Thennarasu, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and T R B Rajaa interacted with students as part of the ‘curiosity segment’.“If India has to develop, the Hindi heartland has to become what TN is today. Why can’t some states grow like TN, which is the China of India,” asked former Union chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian. Actors Karthi Sivakumar, Vijay Sethupathi and Manikandan were present apart from IIT-M director V Kamakoti, chess players Viswanathan Anand, R Praggnanandhaa, R Vaishali and kabbadi champ ‘Kannagi Nagar’ R Karthika.
