Lok Sabha Question No. 539 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-01
Subject: PM-WANI
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Jayant Sinha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 539 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 ST  DECEMBER, 2021

## PM-WANI

## 539. SHRI JAYANT SINHA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the salient features of the Prime Minister's WiFi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI);
- (b) whether the public wi-fi networks will be set up in every neighbourhood in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the number of public wi-fi networks set up so far, state-wise;
- (d) the number of public wi-fi networks set up so far in Jharkhand, district-wise; and
- (e) whether the Government is planning to ensure the data security of the users accessing the public wifi and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

(a) The Prime Minister Wireless Access Network Interface  (PM-WANI)  framework envisages  that  last  mile  broadband  connectivity  will  be  through  a  network  of  public  Wi-Fi Access Points. The backhaul requirement for these Wi-Fi Access Points to be met by procuring internet  bandwidth from the Telecom Service Providers/Internet Service Providers.  Under the distributed  architecture  and  unbundling  of  functions,  the  PM-WANI  eco-system  consists  of following players who will neither be required to take any license nor pay any license fee:

-  Public  Data  Office  (PDO): To  establish,  maintain,  and  operate  WANI  compliant Wi-Fi Access Points and deliver broadband services to subscribers.
-  Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA): An aggregator of PDOs and perform the functions relating to Authorization and Accounting.
-  App Provider :    To  register  users  and  discover  WANI compliant Wi-Fi hotspots in the  nearby  area  and  display  the  same  within  the  App  for  accessing  the  internet service.
-  Central  Registry :  To  maintain,  in  accordance  with  the  WANI  architecture  and specifications, the details of App Providers, PDOAs, and PDOs.

- (b) Under  the  PM-WANI  framework,  it  is  expected  that  a  large  number  of  Public  Data Offices (PDO) will be set up by small entrepreneurs depending on the market demand.
- (c) As on 24-11-2021,  50256  Wi-Fi  Access  Points  have  been  set  up  in  the  country.  State wise Public Wi-Fi Access Points set up under PM-WANI is enclosed as Annexure-1.
- (d) As on 24-11-2021, 593 Wi-Fi Access Points have been set up in the State of Jharkhand. District wise Public Wi-Fi Access Points set up under PM-WANI in the State of Jharkhand is enclosed as Annexure-2.
- (e) A detailed guidelines including Security Conditions have been issued by the Department for the PM WANI framework.

## Public Wi-Fi Access Points set up under PM-WANI as on 24 th  November, 2021

| State             |   No. of Wi-Fi Access Points |
|-------------------|------------------------------|
| Andaman &Nicobar  |                            1 |
| Andhra Pradesh    |                         1690 |
| Arunachal Pradesh |                            1 |
| Assam             |                          271 |
| Bihar             |                         1492 |
| Chandigarh        |                          224 |
| Chhattisgarh      |                         1561 |
| Delhi             |                         8079 |
| Goa               |                          164 |
| Gujarat           |                         1985 |
| Himachal Pradesh  |                          119 |
| Haryana           |                         1692 |
| Jharkhand         |                          593 |
| Jammu &Kashmir    |                          108 |
| Karnataka         |                         6745 |
| Kerala            |                         1262 |
| Maharashtra       |                         5072 |
| Meghalaya         |                            1 |
| Manipur           |                            1 |
| Madhya Pradesh    |                         2136 |
| Nagaland          |                           14 |
| Odisha            |                         1146 |
| Punjab            |                         3263 |
| Puducherry        |                           10 |
| Rajasthan         |                         1583 |
| Sikkim            |                            1 |
| Telangana         |                         1244 |
| Tamil Nadu        |                         3165 |
| Tripura           |                          253 |
| Uttarakhand       |                          510 |
| Uttar Pradesh     |                         4323 |
| West Bengal       |                         1547 |
| TOTAL             |                        50256 |

## Public Wi-Fi Access Points set up under PM-WANI in the State of Jharkhand as on 24 th  November, 2021

| District Name       |   No. of Wi-Fi Access Points |
|---------------------|------------------------------|
| BOKARO              |                           31 |
| DEOGHAR             |                           40 |
| DHANBAD             |                           74 |
| DUMKA               |                            2 |
| EAST SINGHBHUM      |                           58 |
| GARHWA              |                            7 |
| GIRIDIH             |                          119 |
| GUMLA               |                            3 |
| HAZARIBAGH          |                           23 |
| JAMTARA             |                            2 |
| KHUNTI              |                            3 |
| KODERMA             |                           21 |
| LATEHAR             |                            9 |
| LOHARDAGA           |                           16 |
| PAKUR               |                            1 |
| PALAMU              |                           29 |
| RAMGARH             |                           11 |
| RANCHI              |                          107 |
| SAHEBGANJ           |                           14 |
| SERAIKELA KHARSAWAN |                            6 |
| SIMDEGA             |                            5 |
| WEST SINGHBHUM      |                           12 |
| Total               |                          593 |

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