Bangalore: With growing grievance of Aakash users including unresponsive screen, OS hanging, cacophonous sounds and poor customer care, the most popular yet cheap tablets released in partnership with Ministry of Human Resource and Development is now facing a death knell.

The ministry may refuse to extend the letter of credit (LC) to DataWind, which lapses this month end, according to the report from India Today

Aakash tablet was designed for students with the aim of filling the 'digital gap' between the rich and the poor. But with the negative feedback, government now plans to dump these problematic tabs to rural villages. Worse still is the fact that the entire project launched by HRD in October last year could be shelved.

The idea initiated by Union Minister Kapil Sibal for an affordable tablet has been hijacked by corporate giant, Mukesh-Ambani's Reliance Industries Ltd, which plans to launch its fourthgeneration (4G) services later this year and sell tablets at cheap price of around 3,500. According to industry analysts, Mukesh's RIL could probably team up with DataWind or with any other to launch 4G services. RIL is the only company to have pan-India spectrum to offer wireless broadband services on the 4G platform.

The Ministry had initially placed an order for one lakh units of Aakash. It received 30,000 tabs in the first consignment. But it proved a disaster after poor feedback received from users. The tablets had a seven-inch touchscreen, Android 2.2 OS, 366 MHz processor, USB ports, and 180 minutes of battery power. Datawind is also launching an improved version with a 766 MHz processor instead of the 366 MHz processor, and a better battery life.

As quoted by India Today, DataWind had refused to upgrade the second shipment of 70,000 Aakash tablets with improved specifications. However, it will supply the second tranche of improved tablets at the original price of 2,250. But IIT-Rajasthan, which is a tendering authority for the Aakash project has not come out with the new testing standards. Authorities said this is a clear indication that DataWind's LC will not be extended,. It will now be supplied by other agency and not DataWind.

But DataWind has successfully managed to get over 20 lakh bookings for new version of Aakash tablet costs at Rs 2,999. According to company officials, the LC would be extended beyond January 30. "We have not been paid for 30,000 tablets which we have supplied so far," the official said.