The state governments across the country are trying to push the digital connectivity level in their respective state forward by easing the infrastructure setup process for the internet service providers (ISPs) and more. Tamil Nadu is now conducting a feasibility study to check whether the ration shops can be converted into Wi-Fi points. The state wants to offer Wi-Fi connection to the users living in a 200-meter radius near these ration shops at a nominal cost. As per an IANS report, a team of cooperation department officials under the joint registrars of cooperation are conducting this feasibility study.
PM-WANI Scheme Wants to Convert Ration Shops into Internet Points
The Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme wants the ration shops in India to be converted into data centers for providing affordable internet connections to regular or general consumers. With the feasibility study, the cooperation department officials are focusing on things such as the space of the ration shops, location of these shops, ownership and the quality of internet service that will be provided to the consumers. The Central Government has not provided the cooperation department officials with any tariff rate ideas yet. Even the other technical specifications are yet to come from the central government. There are over 35,323 fair price shops in Tamil Nadu out of which 10,279 shops are part-time shops. The best thing will be that the government won’t be profiting from this Wi-Fi service. The revenue generated will be credited to the bank accounts of these ration shops or the cooperative society that runs these shops. People living in hilly terrains and remote areas will benefit from such a move as mobile networks in these areas are often inconsistent or absent. Once the state cooperative department gets the report from the Joint Registrars, the technical details of the project will be made available. This is certainly a move that can be replicated by other state governments as well.
