Cabinet said easier Wi-Fi access would boost employment and income generation (Representational)
New Delhi:
On Wednesday, the union cabinet paved the way for free wireless internet in public spaces, under a scheme dubbed the Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Initiative (PM-WANI), which it said would drive a “massive revolution Wi-Fi “throughout the country. country.
“The cabinet has made the decision to launch the PM Wi-Fi Access Network Interface to release a massive Wi-Fi network in our country. Public data centers will be opened throughout the country. There will be no license fee or registration access. ), “Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Union’s Minister of Information Technology, told reporters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the “historical scheme” “would revolutionize the technological world.”
“The historic PM-WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme which has been approved by the Cabinet today will revolutionize the world of technology and significantly improve the availability of Wi-Fi throughout India. It will increase the ‘Ease of doing business’ and ‘Ease of living’, “the prime minister tweeted.
The historic PM-WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme which has been approved by Cabinet today will revolutionize the technological world and significantly improve the availability of WiFi throughout India. It will promote “ease of doing business” and “ease of living.”
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 9, 2020
The prime minister said the plan “will increase revenue” and strengthen the “digital India mission.”
“The scheme would allow our small merchants to provide Wi-Fi service. This will increase revenue and ensure that our young people have seamless internet connectivity. It will also strengthen our mission of digital India,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) will establish public Wi-Fi networks through Public Data Offices (PDOs) across the country. Third parties can develop an application that users can download, need to register, and then connect to the nearest Wi-Fi network.
Although there will be no license fees, PDOAs and application providers must register with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). This will happen within seven days of application.
Prasad said the proposal, put forward by the Department of Transportation, would promote the growth of public Wi-Fi networks and, in turn, provide job opportunities and improve income generation.
“(The use of) public Wi-Fi access points will greatly promote their proliferation and penetration throughout the country. The availability and use of broadband will improve income, employment, quality of life and ease to do business, “he declared. .
At today’s meeting, the cabinet also approved the provision of submarine fiber optic cable connectivity between the mainland (from Kochi to Kerala) and the Lakshadweep Islands.
With contributions from ANI
.
