In 1984, late Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister of the nation, post-Indira Gandhi Ji’s sudden Demise. Congress, claims that Rajiv Gandhi brought the Computer age to Bharat during his tenure of five years as PM. Let’s dwell on history that is not so ancient.
Till, very recently, in 2014, when the NDA government came to power, around 18,000 villages across Bharat were yet to be electrified.
Rajiv Gandhi introduced Computer during his tenure in 1984-89, but it remained limited to affluent houses of Metro cities. Without power supply facilities and related cabling for Internet access, the remote regions in faraway corners were kept out of Internet usage.
The Computer Age, in a truthful sense, began during the rule of the Modi Government, with the implementation of PradhanMantri WANI Yojna 2021 approved on December 9th, 2020 by the Central cabinet under the Ministry of Telecommunications, Government of Bharat.
PM WANI Yojna implements free Wi-Fi facilities in all public places.
There would not be any license or fee required for registration.
There would be a massive revolution in Wi-Fi in the country with PM-WANI Yojna, which would also boost business as well as create job opportunities. Under PM WANI Yojna, around 2.5 Lakh Gram Panchayats would create 10 Lakh Hot spots, enabling every corner of the nation to be felicitated with Wi-Fi.
The PM-WANI ecosystem would be operated by two different service providers :
1) Public Data Office (PDO): It will only set up, maintain and operate WANI compliant Wi-Fi access points and extend broadband services to customers.
2) Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA) : It would be a PDO aggregator and do work related to authority and accountability.
Public Data Offices (PDOs) would be established on the lines of Public Call Offices (PCOs).
These PDOs would either provide Internet on their own or would lease from other Internet Service Provider (ISP). The customer who wants to access the network from a PDO’s premise can do so only after KYC authentication which can be done through the app provider. All the customers would have to download the app provider’s app from an App Store once they enter the PDO premise. Businesses can take advantage of services from Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, or any Internet service provider. (ISP).
The Government would develop an application that would register the user on to the network. The application would also help them discover WANI compliant Wi-Fi hotspot in nearby areas.
The central registry would be set up which would maintain details of all app providers, PDOAs and PDOs. The registry would be handled by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT).
The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the delivery of stable and high-speed Broadband Internet (data) Service to an increasingly large number of subscribers in the country including areas that do not have 4G mobile coverage. This can be achieved by the deployment of Public Wi-Fi.
PM-WANI Scheme is truly historic in nature would completely revolutionize the tech sphere and substantially improve the wireless connectivity in the country.
The PM-WANI Yojna would be instrumental in strengthening Digital India Mission as it would enable our small shopkeepers to provide Wi-Fi service to their customers. The seamless internet connectivity would boost the “ease of doing “ business to young entrepreneurs and ensure “ease of living”.
Raman, a small Kirana shop owner in Panvel in Maharashtra, opted for Hot spot connectivity to receive digital payment from the customer, in times of pandemic. Such an initiative has ensured safe and sound business for him as well as the customer as people refrain from indulging in a cash transaction.
For reaching out to faraway islands of Bharatiya Union and ensuring them the facility of high-speed Broadband connectivity, the Government has approved the provision of Submarine for Optical Fiber cables extending to 11 Lakshadweep islands like Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The Central Government has approved the budget of 22,810 Crores for the period of 2020-2023. Around 58.5 Lakh employees would be benefitted from this self-sufficient Bharat Rozgar Yojna.
Hon. Prime Minister is a techno-savvy personality and his growth mechanism envisions inclusive and innovative methods, ascertaining “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” to a person residing in the farthest corner of the nation.
PradhanMantri WANI Yojna is a true reflection of the same.