Intel boots UP digital literacy campaign

Intel's six week campaign 'My Discoveries' would be rolled out in Lucknow, Agra, Kanpur, Allahabad, Meerut, Varanasi, Ghaziabad and Moradabad

Technology major Intel on Wednesday announced the launch of its digital literacy and technology adoption campaign in Uttar Pradesh (UP), aimed at boosting personal-computer (PC) penetration through education.

UP has emerged as an important destination for technology firms, specially after the announcement of free tablets and laptops to class X and XII passed students, respectively. While, the laptop distribution meant for 1.5 million students has begun, the Akhilesh-Yadav government is yet to award the tablet distribution contract.

Intel’s six-week campaign, ‘My Discoveries’, would be rolled out in eight cities: Lucknow, Agra, Kanpur, Allahabad, Meerut, Varanasi, Ghaziabad and Moradabad.

It is part of its integrated campaign covering UP, Punjab, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal and Rajasthan, Director (strategic initiatives, sales & marketing group) Rajiv Bhalla said here.

“The PC penetration is 10 per cent in India, while the penetration of internet is even lower. Many people, even if they could afford to buy, do not buy a computer either because they do not know how to operate or are unaware of its benefits,” he added.

Intel has partnered several technology and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), namely Acer, Asus, HCL, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, Wipro, Aircel, Airtel, Reliance, Netconnect and Vodafone.

Intel, Nasscom and other technology companies had launched the National Digital Literacy Mission in India last year. The mission aims at making at least one e-literate in every household by 2020.

He said Intel’s ‘Easy Step’ training modules had been preloaded in laptops being distributed by the UP government to honour the pre-poll promise of the ruling Samajwadi Party.