Centre’s low-cost WiFi scheme still buffering

Source: The post is based on the article “Centre’s low-cost WiFi scheme still buffering” published in Business Standard on 30th November 2022.

What is the News?

Nearly two years since the PM WANI scheme has been launched, the government has been able to activate 132,000 hotspots.

What is the PM WANI Scheme?

The PM WANI Scheme was launched in 2020 by the Department of Telecommunications.

Aim: To expand the public WiFi network in the country and provide low-cost mass digital connectivity to the underserved in rural areas and the urban poor.

Local micro-entrepreneurs in rural areas can open public data offices(PDOs) with BSNL to make WiFi services available at affordable rates to the rural populace.

What has been the progress of the scheme?

PM WANI aims to create up to 10 million public WiFi hotspots in India by the end of this year.

However, the government has been able to activate only 132,000 WiFi hotspots till now.

What are the reasons for the slow progress of the PM WANI Scheme?

Firstly, a lack of interest in many areas primarily due to low financial incentives has contributed to the hesitancy in adopting the scheme.

Secondly, the sluggish pace of migrating WiFi hotspots to the PM-WANI network by state-run entities, such as Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) and the Indian Railways, has also impeded progress.