In the build up to the assembly elections, Common Service Centres (CSC), a Government of India initiative was announced recently to launch 5,000 Public Data Offices (PDOs) in West Bengal under the CSC PM-Wani Scheme.
It bears recall that NCCE, an arm of the apex cooperative body NCUI is partnering with the govt of India in preparing an army of trained cooperators who would manage the affairs of multi-purpose District Co-op Societies known as VLEs.
The objective of PDOs is to sell the internet services among the villagers through Village Level Entrepreneurs spread in different parts of the country. It is a move towards Digital India, a dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Updated Dec 16, 2020 | 15:04 IST
The next revolution in connectivity necessitates reliable and cheap internet for the masses so that India can leapfrog from the existing digital divide, which has social and economic implications. Representational image | Photo Credit: iStock Images
Key Highlights
It is anticipated that PM-WANI will be business-friendly and complement the government’s ease of doing business initiatives
Besides generating employment, such a public Wi-Fi network will boost disposable incomes of small and medium entrepreneurs
Crucially, there is no license fee for providing broadband internet services
Last week the Union cabinet approved a framework to usher in a “massive Wi-Fi revolution in the country”, in the words of Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, by accelerating the proliferation of broadband internet services via a public Wi-Fi network.
Industry > Industry monitor > Cable and broadband
11 December 2020
The union cabinet has approved a proposal for setting up Public Wi-Fi Networks by Public Data Office Aggregators to provide public Wi-Fi service through Public Data Offices without levy of any license fee.
A meeting of the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the proposal of the Department of Telecom (DoT) for setting up of Public Wi-Fi Networks by Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) to provide public Wi-Fi service through Public Data Offices (PDOs) spread across length and breadth of the country.
The move is aimed at accelerating proliferation of broadband internet services through Public Wi-Fi network in the country. There will be no licence fee for providing broadband internet through these public Wi-Fi networks.