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Indian Government Mulls Giving Away Mobile Phones To the Poor

Posted by samzenpus on from the let-them-eat-phones dept.

jalfreize writes "The Indian government is finalizing a $1.2 billion plan to hand out free mobile phones to the poorest Indian families (around six million households, according to some estimates). The Times of India reports: 'Top government managers involved in formulating the scheme want to sell it as a major empowerment initiative... While the move will ensure contact with the beneficiaries of welfare programmes (sic) ..., there is also a view the scheme will provide an opportunity for the (government) to open a direct line of communication with a sizable population that plays an active role in polls.'"

9 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. why is it programmes (sic)? by acidfast7 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Programmes" is proper British English.

    1. Re:why is it programmes (sic)? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Indeed. The [sic] here does serve a useful purpose though. It lets us know the submitter is illiterate.

    2. Re:why is it programmes (sic)? by LordSnooty · · Score: 3, Interesting

      There's an interesting tale behind the word "programme" and its use to describe television or radio shows.

      When TV & radio listings were first printed regularly in the (London) Times in the 1930s, the listings were headed thus: "Television and Radio Programmes". But if you read news reports on the topic you'd see that "programme" was used in its traditional sense, i.e. this is a list of the programme of events. The individual shows they struggled to give a name to, as "show" or "series" hadn't gained wide usage (new technology after all).

      But eventually that heading stuck and people interpreted it to mean "programmes" as in "a list of programmes on today". So programme gradually gained traction in the UK as the term for an individual edition of a show. Well into the 60s the Times was still heading its listings in the same way, and by then the term was in widespread use.

      Of course in later years, the computer program would come into being, and as much of the theory and early development came from the USA, their spelling stuck when describing a set of instructions interpreted by a computer. That almost goes back to the original meaning of a distinct set of events addressed as a whole. But it means that in the UK we are now saddled with "program" to describe a set of computer instructions and "programme" to describe a single edition of a TV or radio show (and indeed a magazine sold at music concerts or sports events, or a set of individual events combined to make a programme).

      I'm not sure but I don't think "program" is used heavily in the US to describe TV shows, and it's an interesting example of how new technology can change the use of long-established words, even in just one part of the English-speaking world.

  2. "programmes (sic)" by cupantae · · Score: 5, Informative

    "programme" is the British English spelling, and the predominate form outside of North America.

    Just so you know.

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  3. No electricity... by neither_geek_nor_ner · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When there is no electricity supply in the villages, this is an innovative way of giving 'power' to the people!

    1. Re:No electricity... by HungryHobo · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Something I found interesting: in rural areas in africa and india there is now such a thing as traveling charger and internet access men.

      someone comes round the village once a week with a small generator or similar and often a few other things like a satalite dish and tools for some some repairs to electronics.

      He comes round, people pay a few pence to charge their phones or some other small electronics or to send a few emails. (a very important service since it means families can keep in contact when a few of the kids have gone off to work in the cities)

      It's hard to organise food, clean water, sanitation and housing without people being able to talk to each other.

  4. Re:I would guess.. by William+Robinson · · Score: 5, Informative

    No. This is done typically in India, just before elections, to make sure the voters forget their inefficiency and incompetency while choosing their leaders. This is nothing, compared to 80000 Crore rupees (US$ 20.8 billion) loan waiver before previous elections.

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    hilarious
  5. Re:(sic) by Chrisq · · Score: 3, Informative

    what's with these Wanker's who quote an article then correct it with a '(sic)'. So the original article had a spellen (sic) mistake, who gives a fcuk (sic) . Live with it. We don't care that you know your proper English. Live with it wanker

    Its not even a mistake, its British English

  6. Re:They are creating jobs by million_monkeys · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Someone will have to manufacture the six million phones, batteries, sim cards and power adapters.....

    How thoughtful of India to create all those jobs for Chinese children.