The AIADMK is underway with their strategized campaign to gather votes across the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The party’s election promise is to distribute 6.8 million laptops within in a five year plan to higher secondary and college students. Facts display that this project will cost an irrational amount somewhere near $700 million the first year. This allocation of free laptops for the election may be regarded as highly unethical. There are more plausible alternatives with the way this money should be spent. BBC article mentions social services and infrastructure. Yes. Tamil Nadu is in a dire state infrastructure wise. If investments for improving infrastructures are ignored, there would be limitations on laptop usage due to frequent power outages, and the high probability of damaging the laptops via transport throughout the city. Government funds could also be allocated for the construction of more educational institutes. IT majors Acer and Hewlett Package have already contributed several thousand laptops for this launch. If the AIADMK party continues the distribution of laptops, will there be a plummet in tax revenue leading to bankruptcy? Do the advantages override the costs?
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One reply on “Laptops for votes.”
Politicians will spend as much money as needed for a cause, as long as it benefits them. The money can and should go to better use but instead it is basically used to “buy” votes. And the worst part is the laptops reach a new mostly untouched demographic so they are probably gaining many new followers.