PM-WANI Scheme

✦Key Features

• Any small shopkeeper can become a Public Data Office (PDO) without a licence
• PDO: last-mile Wi-Fi hotspot; PDOA: aggregator; App Provider: manages user authentication
• No spectrum fee, registration fee, or licence required — fully liberalized
• 2.5 lakh+ PDOs registered; expanding to tier-2/3 cities and rural areas
• Separates retail Wi-Fi provision from telecom licensing regime
• User authentication via app; seamless roaming across PDO networks
• Budget: NIL (self-sustaining market model) — only regulatory reform

✓Eligibility Criteria

• Any individual or entity can become a Public Data Office (PDO).
• Companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013, can become Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) or App Providers.
• Citizens wishing to access affordable internet through PM-WANI hotspots.

★Benefits

• Provides affordable and accessible broadband internet to a wider population, bridging the digital divide.
• Boosts digital literacy, e-governance, and access to online services for citizens.
• Creates new entrepreneurial opportunities for small businesses (PDOs) and enhances local economies.
• Facilitates easy and secure authentication and payment for Wi-Fi services.
• Contributes to the 'Digital India' mission by strengthening digital infrastructure.

▶Application Process

• Potential PDOAs and App Providers register with the Central Registry (C-DoT).
• PDOs partner with a registered PDOA to set up Wi-Fi hotspots.
• Users download the App Provider's application, register with their mobile number/Aadhaar.
• Users discover PM-WANI hotspots via the app and purchase data plans.
• Connect to the Wi-Fi network and access the internet.

₹ Budget Allocation

100

Funding Ratio (Centre:State): No direct funding to PDOs; it is a regulatory framework to encourage private investment

Historical Context

Approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2020 based on recommendations by TRAI to increase broadband penetration in India, which was significantly lower than the global average.