Modi cabinet approves PM Wi-Fi, 1 crore data centers will be opened across the country

New Delhi: The Modi government's cabinet met on Wednesday amid farmers' agitation. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister PM Modi, approved the PM Wi-Fi scheme. For this, a plan has been prepared to start 1 crore data centers across the country. In addition, the government has approved the Self-Employed India Employment Scheme to increase employment. 1584 crore will be spent for it in the current financial year.

After the cabinet meeting, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government would open 10 million data centers in the country. The scheme, dubbed the Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Interface (PM WANI), will revolutionize Wi-Fi in the country. Under it, the government will open a Public Data Office (PDO). It does not require a license, registration or payment of a fee. Any shop can be turned into a data office. The government will allow the center to open in 7 days for data office, data aggregator (PDA), app system. The job of the PDA (Public Data Aggregator) is to look at the authorization and accounting of the PDO. There will be a big revolution from public booths. People in every village will have Wi-Fi. PM WANI will be a very big device of digital change.

He said the cabinet had also given green signal to the proposal to lay a submarine optical fiber cable between Kochi and Lakshadweep. Connectivity will be delivered from Kochi to 11 islands of Lakshadweep in 1000 days. He said the Cabinet had approved the USOF scheme to provide mobile coverage in two districts of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam under the Comprehensive Telecommunication Development Plan for the North-East Region. The scheme has been launched to provide mobile coverage in 2374 villages.

Approval of Self-Employed India Employment Scheme

Union Minister Santosh Gangwar informed that a self-reliant employment scheme will be implemented in the country. Under this, a total of Rs 22,810 crore will be spent in the scam period till 2020-2023. About 58.8 lakh employees will benefit under this scheme. He said that those who have been employed till the year before March 2020, their EPF contribution will be given by the government. For a company with less than 1,000 employees, the government will provide 24 per cent EPF contribution.