Looks like a con job, EXCEPT that there were some very reputable names (both persons and institutions) linked to it.
Wouldn't call it a con job as such, but I can see names like Kapil Sibal and IIT ( which IIT is not mentioned) associated with it.
IMO a BOM price of $35 would be barely acheivable, given a massive and immediate investments in a semi conductor and LCD fab. One might consider this investment by the government a one time subsidy for kick starting a strategically vital LSI industry.
Yes $ 35 seems too much of a hype.
IMO they maybe excused for poking their nose in industry with public money.
Nothing wrong in the Government kickstarting such projects as long as the complete technical specifications are released to the public and a public tender on which company can come forward to mass produce it at the lowest cost without compromising on the quality of the device seems a fair deal to me.
Inspite of all the evidence I dearly hope that this is true.
Me too :-)