Bengaluru: The Karnataka Cabinet yesterday approved free laptops to about 1.5 lakh students who have got admitted to government or aided medical, engineering and first grade colleges in the academic year 2017-18.

The initiative is expected to cost Rs. 300 crore to the State government. “The Government has approved free distribution of laptops to students who have obtained admission in government and aided medical, engineering, first grade and polytechnic colleges for the academic year 2017-18,” Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra told reporters here after a cabinet meeting.

“The estimated cost is Rs. 300 crore and the government aims to cover 1.5 lakh students and the criteria is that their family annual income should be below Rs. 2.5 lakh,” he added.

Support price: The State government has decided to give a support price of Rs. 1,500 to 4,500 per hectare  to prevent farmers from migrating to cities in search of labour. The scheme will cover paddy, tur dal, jowar and millets. The support price will encourage farmers to use advanced machinery for farming and will help to build a competitive spirit among them, the Minister said.

The Cabinet also decided to set up a sub-committee to study the revised National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) norms. Jayachandra said the revised norms will adversely affect the State’s interest in getting central aid for drought relief.

New animation policy okayed

The State Cabinet also approved the Karnataka Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics Policy – 2017-22, which envisages putting in place an ecosystem to promote the State as a lucrative outsourcing destination in the sector. The policy replaces the older 2012-17 version.

Minister Jayachandra said the policy aims to establish the State as a leading global animation, visual effects, gaming and comics export hub. The policy has set a target of creating at least 20,000 new jobs in the sector in the coming years besides increasing the State’s share in the game developing and animation service providing sector, Jayachandra said.