TN to buy 4 mn TV sets for Rs 750 cr

Fourth phase distribution to begin soon.

The Tamil Nadu government will spend Rs 750 crore to buy over 4.1 million television sets as part of the fourth phase distribution of free colour television sets. The government has so far spent over Rs 1,400 crore in the last three years for this scheme.

The scheme is one of the poll promises of the ruling DMK government during the state elections three years ago.

During the first phase, the government procured 30,000 television sets for Rs 9 crore. In the phase II, it bought 2.5 million sets for Rs 685 crore while in the third phase around 8.7 million sets were bought for over Rs 823 crore.

The third phase, to be completed in a couple of days, would cover 14 constituencies in the city. The fourth phase will start shortly.

State finance minister K Anbazhagan had in his Budget speech said the government had allocated Rs 500 crore to buy another 2.5 million television sets.