Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana: A Comprehensive Overview

Updated on October 21, 2025

The Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana was a significant initiative launched by the Government of Rajasthan in August 2023. The scheme aimed to empower women and female students by providing them with free smartphones and internet access, thereby bridging the digital divide and enhancing access to information and government services.

Following the change in government after the Rajasthan Assembly elections in late 2023, the Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana has been put on hold. The new government is currently reviewing the scheme and its implementation.

Key Objectives of the Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana

The primary goals of the Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana were:

• Digital Literacy and Inclusion: To make women and students digitally literate and bring them into the mainstream of the digital revolution.
• Access to Government Schemes: To enable beneficiaries to easily access information and apply for various government welfare schemes and services online.
• Empowerment: To empower women by providing them with a tool for communication, education, and accessing new opportunities for self-employment and knowledge.
• Enhanced Security: To provide a means for women to improve their security through better connectivity.

Feature	Details
Target beneficiaries	Women heads of families, widows/single women, girl students (Classes 9-12), women from Chiranjeevi families etc.
Quantity	Scheme aims to cover around 1.3 crore+ women in Rajasthan. In the first phase ~40 lakh women.
Benefit amount	Govt to deposit around ₹6,800 in e-wallet/DBT for each beneficiary (for smartphone + SIM + data).
Connectivity	Smartphones come with internet and voice-call service included for a period (e.g., initial phases).
Distribution mode	Through camps, authorised telecom providers, registers of beneficiaries, DBT to e-wallet.

Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana Eligibility Criteria

The scheme was targeted at the women heads of families registered under the state’s Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme. In its first phase, the eligibility was further defined to include:

• Girl students from class 9th to 12th in government schools.
• Girl students in government-run higher education colleges, ITIs, and polytechnics.
• Widows and single women pensioners.
• Female heads of families who completed 100 days of work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
• Female heads of families who completed 50 days of work under the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana Benefits

Under the scheme, the government provided the following benefits to eligible women:

• A free smartphone of their choice from available models at government-organized camps.
• A free SIM card with free internet data and voice calling facility for three years.
• The government transferred ₹6,800 through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the e-wallets of the beneficiaries to purchase the phone and the data plan.

Implementation of the Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana

The distribution of smartphones was done through special camps organized at the district and block levels. At these camps, beneficiaries would go through a process of registration, document verification (Jan Aadhaar, Aadhaar, PAN card, and enrollment/pension documents), and e-KYC. After the verification, the amount was transferred to their e-wallets, and they could choose a smartphone from the available service providers.

Current Status of the Scheme (As of October 2025)

As of October 2025, the distribution of smartphones under this scheme has been temporarily discontinued, and there has been no official announcement regarding the continuation or relaunch of the program. The future of the yojana will depend on the evaluation and decision of the current state government.

What This Means for Potential Beneficiaries

For those who were eligible and waiting to receive a smartphone under this scheme, the program is currently inactive. It is advisable to keep an eye on official announcements from the Government of Rajasthan for any updates on the future of this or any similar schemes.

Why Smartphone Yojana matters?

From my experience working on many citizen-centric schemes, let me highlight why this one is important for normal households:

• A smartphone in the hand of a woman head of household means access to information, welfare applications, health, education-services which were earlier harder to reach.
• For a girl student in class 9-12, a smartphone helps online study, access e-books, join digital classes, especially when physical resources are limited.
• It helps reduce the digital divide: Many poor families had to use shared phones or none; this gives their own device + connectivity.
• It increases agency: The beneficiary can track schemes, services, payments via apps, rather than relying fully on someone else.
• It supports connectivity and communication for rural/remote women: being connected means staying informed. As one official said: “Smartphones will ensure women’s access and engagement with welfare schemes.”

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Important things to know and watch out for

• Although the device is “free” under the scheme, if you choose a model priced above the scheme limit you may need to pay the difference out of your pocket.
• Verification and application can take time — you must attend the camp, provide correct documents, and ensure your name etc matches.
• Even if you are eligible, you must apply in the timeframe and register early so you are not left out.
• Ensure your bank account (or e-wallet as required) is active and details are correct so DBT amount is credited.
• The scheme is specific to Rajasthan state as of the current launch. Being resident of other states will not make you eligible under this scheme. (If you are in another state, check local smartphone-access scheme.)
• If you don’t receive your phone within expected time, contact the local camp office or state IT/telecom department.

If you are a woman in Rajasthan, or you know one, especially a student or a household head with limited income, this scheme can make a real difference. It’s not just about getting a phone; it’s about getting connected, having access, being able to access education and services, staying informed and being empowered.

Make sure you check your eligibility carefully, apply early, attend the camp, check your documents and keep the receipt or reference number safely. If you face trouble, ask at your local block office or the scheme camp location.

📩 If you notice any incorrect data in this guide or wish to share additional information, please write to us at info@indiansouls.in.