The state government has finally started distributing free laptops to first year degree and diploma students from the SC/ST communities.

The department of Higher Education had last year announced the launch of the laptop scheme for the first time. However, owing to procedural delays, the eligible students will be receiving laptops at a time when they are completing their second year degree and diploma courses.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday symbolically distributed laptops to 30 students of Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts. The department has identified a total of 31,742 students across the state under the scheme.

The officials have been instructed to immediately distribute laptops in other districts to students of 412 government first grade colleges and 85 polytechnics.

The 14-inch Acer laptops were procured at a total cost of Rs 45.99 crore, with each laptop costing Rs 14,490. Only those SC/ST students whose family's annual income is below Rs 2.5 lakh, are eligible for laptops under the scheme.

Higher Education Minister Basavaraja Rayareddi said as many as 1.5 lakh laptops will be distributed to first year degree, polytechnic, engineering, medical and dental students for the academic year 2017-18.