Covid-19 has shattered several systems of the world, impacting almost all sectors of life. In India, Central and State governments have come forward to battle out the pandemic, lockdowns and vaccinations being two favoured methods.
In all this, eh poor students- those who cannot afford cellphones and computers to engage in online learning- have become unintended victims of the ongoing pandemic. Lakhs of them stand affected because they have no access to these items.
To tackle this `digital divide – between the haves and have nots- the Jharkhand Police has come forward with an innovative step in aid of those students who have been left behind in this social distancing and online dominated world. The Jharkhand Police has started ‘Gadget Bank’ under the guidance of IPS Neeraj Sinha who is also the current Director-General of Police (DGP) in the state.
THE INITIATIVE
The ‘Gadget Bank’ initiative was launched on July 5, 2021under the leadership of DGP Neeraj Sinha. Under this initiative a bank has been created in which used mobile phones, laptops and tablets will be collected in every district by the respective Superintendents of Police (SPs) in charge of their areas.
While speaking to the media, Mr. Sinha said “The intention behind this is to bridge the digital divide between students of different financial backgrounds, by asking all Superintendents of Police to set up a `Mobile and Laptop Bank” in all police stations under the state’s community policing scheme.”
Dr. Ehtesham Waquarib, SP Koderma, spoke with Indian Masterminds and said “During the covid 19 pandemic, we all saw that everywhere in the country schools got shut and studies and examinations were done through online mode. During this time, many children in Jharkhand were highly affected as their parents did not have the resources to buy a smartphone or any other gadget. Therefore, we created a ‘Gadget Bank’ in the whole state and every district was directed to take the initiative in their own way.”
WORKING ON GROUND
Koderma district in Jharkhand consists of 10 police stations. Each station is recording a good response from the people towards this innovative initiative. Mr. Waquarib said, “We have been creating mass awareness regarding the ‘Gadget Bank’ through our local `thanas’ (police stations). As local people get to know about the initiative and are interested in donating their gadgets to poor children, they visit their local police stations and deposit the gadgets there. A certified copy of the deposited gadget is given to the depositor.”
He added, “We have been getting a good response from the people and till now around 50 such gadgets have been collected. Some of them are damaged and need repair. We are also trying to repair those smartphones so that the person receiving it does not face any issues. In the distribution phase, help will be taken from the local Circle Office and Block Office to identify such poor and distressed children who are in need of such items.”
Apart from Koderma, other districts in Jharkhand are also taking proactive steps and are helping poor children through this initiative. Godda district is one of these where smartphones have been distributed to the needy students along with SIM cards and a three-month free internet facility, to enable them to continue with their online courses.
