The Punjab government has decided to allocate 28,515 Samsung 5G smartphones, originally intended for anganwadi workers, to enumerators involved in a drug and caste-based socioeconomic survey. This move, confirmed by government sources, aims to utilize the smartphones effectively for both purposes, as stated by a functionary of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The smartphones were procured for ₹57 crore under a scheme funded by the Government of India, with the intention of empowering anganwadi workers to monitor beneficiaries under the Poshan Abhiyan, a central government initiative. However, this decision has drawn criticism from representatives of the Anganwadi Worker Helper Union, who argue that the phones should be delivered to them as promised. They expressed concerns about receiving used devices, as some smartphones are reportedly being assigned to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the drug census. Additionally, the procurement process faced delays and irregularities, resulting in the suspension of two IAS officers associated with the tendering process. The initial budget for the procurement was ₹34 crore, but costs escalated to nearly ₹60 crore due to changes in specifications from 4G to 5G devices.