Lok Sabha Question No. 2132 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-02
Subject: Progress of PM-WANI Scheme
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2132 TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND  AUGUST, 2023

## PROGRESS OF PM-WANI SCHEME

## 2132.   COL. RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the progress of the PM-WANI scheme, including the number of Wi-Fi access points installed in each State, State-wise along with the detailed distribution at the district level in Rajasthan;

(b) the details of the data-supported impact of this initiative on enhancing internet accessibility in rural areas across all States, with specific district-level data for Rajasthan;

(c) the measures enforced to ensure the quality and reliability of services provided under PMWANI across different States;

(d) the challenges encountered during the scheme's implementation in various States along with the steps taken to address them and issues encountered in Rajasthan; and

(e) the contribution of the PM-WANI scheme in reducing the digital divide across the nation, State-wise along with its effect in Rajasthan including the future expansion plans for the scheme?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) The total number of PM-WANI hotspots installed in the country as on 25.07.2023 are 148904. State / Union Territory wise number of hotspots are attached as Annexure-I . District-wise number of hotspots in Rajasthan is attached as Annexure-II .

The quality and reliability of services provided under PM-WANI, inter-alia, depend on the backhaul internet connectivity provided by Telecom / Internet service provider.  The performance of internet connectivity is monitored through Performance Monitoring  Reports (PMR) submitted by service providers, against the benchmark for various Quality of Service parameters laid down by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

(d) The main challenge observed in proliferation of PM-WANI in various States including in Rajasthan is financial viability for PM-WANI service providers specifically with cheaper mobile data rates. The matter was referred to TRAI and TRAI has, inter-alia, replied that the mobile data tariffs are under forbearance. The tariff forbearance with regulatory oversight exercised by TRAI has led  to  the  establishment  of  well-functioning  competitive  market  thereby  leading  to  immense development of the Telecom sector.

(e) Contribution of PM - WANI in proliferation of Internet in the country is that the total number of unique PM - WANI users as on 27.07.2023 are 16,09,774 and total data consumed is 57.52 Peta bytes. However, such data is not maintained state wise / urban / rural wise.

Eligible entity can register on saralsanchar.gov.in portal to, inter-alia, become Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA). PDOAs registered under the PM - WANI framework provide Internet Service through their Public Data Offices in rural / urban areas based on their techno commercial considerations.

## Annexure-I

State / Union Territory wise number of PM WANI Wi-Fi Hotspots as on 25.07.2023

| Serial Number   | Name of State     |   No. of Wi-Fi hotspots |
|-----------------|-------------------|-------------------------|
| 1.              | Andaman & Nicobar |                     247 |
| 2.              | Andhra Pradesh    |                    6063 |
| 3.              | Arunachal Pradesh |                     598 |
| 4.              | Assam             |                     874 |
| 5.              | Bihar             |                    3912 |
| 6.              | Chandigarh        |                     257 |
| 7.              | Chhattisgarh      |                    2798 |
| 8.              | Delhi             |                   40538 |
| 9.              | Goa               |                     422 |
| 10.             | Gujarat           |                    4099 |
| 11.             | Haryana           |                    3772 |
| 12.             | Himachal Pradesh  |                     934 |
| 13.             | Jammu & Kashmir   |                    1478 |
| 14.             | Jharkhand         |                    1011 |
| 15.             | Karnataka         |                   18879 |
| 16.             | Kerala            |                    4930 |
| 17.             | Ladakh            |                     371 |
| 18.             | Lakshadweep       |                      01 |
| 19.             | Madhya Pradesh    |                    7231 |
| 20.             | Maharashtra       |                   15437 |
| 21.             | Manipur           |                      19 |
| 22.             | Meghalaya         |                     147 |
| 23.             | Mizoram           |                      03 |
| 24.             | Nagaland          |                      76 |
| 25.             | Odisha            |                    2851 |
| 26.             | Puducherry        |                      89 |
| 27.             | Punjab            |                    3735 |
| 28.             | Rajasthan         |                    2816 |
| 29.             | Sikkim            |                      13 |
| 30.             | Tamil Nadu        |                    7503 |
| 31.             | Telangana         |                    4236 |
| 32.             | Tripura           |                     306 |
| 33.             | Uttar Pradesh     |                    8398 |
| 34.             | Uttarakhand       |                     949 |
| 35.             | West Bengal       |                    3911 |
|                 | Total             |                  148904 |

## Annexure-II

District wise number of PM WANI Wi-Fi Hotspots in Rajasthan as on 25.07.2023

| Serial Number   | District name   |   Number of Wi-Fi Hotspots |
|-----------------|-----------------|----------------------------|
| 1               | AJMER           |                         95 |
| 2               | ALWAR           |                        133 |
| 3               | BANSWARA        |                          3 |
| 4               | BARAN           |                         17 |
| 5               | BARMER          |                         14 |
| 6               | BHARATPUR       |                        101 |
| 7               | BHILWARA        |                         40 |
| 8               | BIKANER         |                        175 |
| 9               | BUNDI           |                         51 |
| 10              | CHITTORGARH     |                         34 |
| 11              | CHURU           |                         25 |
| 12              | DAUSA           |                         41 |
| 13              | DHOLPUR         |                          7 |
| 14              | DUNGARPUR       |                          6 |
| 15              | HANUMANGARH     |                         42 |
| 16              | JAIPUR          |                       1079 |
| 17              | JAISALMER       |                         58 |
| 18              | JALORE          |                         14 |
| 19              | JHALAWAR        |                         22 |
| 20              | JHUNJHUNU       |                         15 |
| 21              | JODHPUR         |                        136 |
| 22              | KARAULI         |                          5 |
| 23              | KOTA            |                        189 |
| 24              | NAGAUR          |                         99 |
| 25              | PALI            |                        115 |
| 26              | PRATAPGARH      |                         32 |
| 27              | RAJSAMAND       |                          3 |
| 28              | SAWAI MADHOPUR  |                         54 |
| 29              | SIKAR           |                         56 |
| 30              | SIROHI          |                         35 |
| 31              | SRI GANGANAGAR  |                         49 |
| 32              | TONK            |                         13 |
| 33              | UDAIPUR         |                         58 |
|                 | Total           |                       2816 |

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