**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer to Unstarred Question No. 482 in Lok Sabha, answered on December 3, 2025, regarding the Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme. It provides details on the scheme's implementation, the number of Wi-Fi hotspots, and recent reforms to facilitate its expansion. The document includes Annexure-I, showing state-wise counts of PMWANI Wi-Fi hotspots as of November 26, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **PM-WANI Scheme Overview:**
* Approved on December 9, 2020, to expand broadband services via public Wi-Fi networks.
* Aims to create a robust digital communications infrastructure, aligning with the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018.
* Allows Public Data Offices (PDOs) to establish Wi-Fi hotspots with minimal regulatory oversight through Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs).
* **Implementation Status:**
* As of November 26, 2025, there are 391,599 PDOs (Wi-Fi Hotspots) currently onboard.
* **Reforms Introduced (September 16, 2024):**
* PDOs can offer PM-WANI through regular FTTH connections to reduce costs.
* PDOs can aggregate multiple access points to create wider Wi-Fi hotspots.
* Existing home/business Wi-Fi access points can join the PM-WANI network for revenue.
* Roaming enabled between PDOAs for seamless switching between PM-WANI hotspots.
* PDOs can offer mobile data offload by partnering with Telecom Service Providers.
* PDOAs and App providers can send content/promotions to PM-WANI users (with consent).
* **TRAI Order (June 16, 2025):**
* Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order related to retail broadband connectivity for PDOs.
* Mandates retail FTTH broadband plans up to 200 Mbps offered to PDOs at tariffs not exceeding twice the consumer broadband price.
* **Hardware & Software:**
* Procured by PMWANI stakeholders (PDOs, PDOAs, and App providers).
* Solutions developed must be PMWANI compliant and certified by CDOT.
* **Annexure-I:**
* Provides state-wise counts of PMWANI Wi-Fi hotspots.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Public Data Offices (PDOs)**
* *Impact:* Allowed to participate in PM-WANI scheme through various means that could reduce costs.
* *Action Required:* Procure hardware and software that is PMWANI compliant and certified by CDOT.
**Stakeholder: Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs) and App Providers**
* *Impact:* Expansion of business opportunity, can engage with users to promote goods and services.
* *Action Required:* Procure hardware and software that is PMWANI compliant and certified by CDOT.
**Stakeholder: End Users (General Public)**
* *Impact:* Increased access to broadband services and roaming between PM-WANI Wi-Fi hotspots.
* *Action Required:* None stated in the document.
**Stakeholder: Telecom Service Providers**
* *Impact:* Potential partnerships with PDOs for mobile data offload.
* *Action Required:* None stated in the document.
Key Entities Referenced
PM-WANI Scheme: A scheme by the Indian government to promote broadband proliferation through public Wi-Fi networks.
Department of Telecommunications: The government department responsible for implementing the PM-WANI scheme.
Public Data Offices (PDOs): Entities that set up Wi-Fi hotspots under the PM-WANI scheme.
Public Data Office Aggregators (PDOAs): Entities that aggregate PDOs within the PM-WANI framework.
National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) 2018: A referenced policy that outlines the objectives of creating a robust digital communications infrastructure, aligning with the goals of the PM-WANI framework.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 482
ANSWERED ON 3RD DECEMBER, 2025
WI-FI ACCESS NETWORK INTERFACE (PM-WANI) SCHEME
†482. SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:
SHRI ARUN GOVIL:
SMT. SHOBHANABEN MAHENDRASINH BARAIYA:
SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN:
Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme
being run by the Government;
(b) the total number of companies providing Wi-Fi services under the said 'PM-WANI' scheme
at present;
(c) the details of provisions made by the Government for providing internet services to these
companies for providing Wi-Fi services in rural areas under the said scheme;
(d) whether the Government is providing software and hardware technology as well to these
companies and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)
(a) Government approved the PM-WANI Scheme on 9th December 2020 to accelerate the
proliferation of Broadband services through Public Wi-Fi networks across the country. The PM-
WANI framework, in line with the objectives of the National Digital Communications Policy
(NDCP) 2018, aims to create a robust digital communications infrastructure. The framework allows
Public Data Offices (PDOs) to set up Wi-Fi hotspots, under the aggregation of Public Data Office
Aggregators (PDOAs), with minimal regulatory oversight, thus encouraging local entrepreneurs to
participate in the digital transformation process. As on 26.11.2025, state wise total count of PMWANI
W-Fi hotspots is enclosed as Annexure-I.
(b) Under PMWANI scheme, the Wi-Fi services to the customer is delivered by Public Data
Offices (PDOs) who are the agents of PDOAs (Public Data Office Aggregators). As on 26.11.2025,
the total number of PDOs (Wi-Fi Hotspots) currently on-board are 3,91,599.
(c) Dept of Telecommunications introduced following key reforms on 16.09.2024 in the existing
PM Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) framework to address the pressing issues relating
to the proliferation of Public Wi-Fi Access Points through PMWANI:
1 PDOs (Public Data Offices) were allowed to offer PM WANI through a regular FTTH
connection which will reduce their cost.
PDOs were allowed to aggregate their multiple Access point to a single backhaul
towards the Internet Service Providers to create wider Wi-Fi hotspot.
Existing home or business Wi-Fi Access Points were allowed to join the larger PM-
WANI network, thereby utilizing their existing Access point as a source of revenue.
Roaming was allowed between PDOAs enabling end users to switch between PM-
WANI Wi-Fi hotspots of different PDOAs smoothly.
PDOs were allowed to offer Mobile data offload by teaming up with existing Telecom
Service Providers.
PDOAs and App providers were allowed to send content, promotions, and branding
messages to potential PM-WANI Wi-Fi users, after due user consent.
Further, TRAI released a Telecommunication Tariff (71st Amendment) Order, 2025 on
16.06.2025 related to tariff for retail broadband connectivity for Public Data Offices. This order
mandates that all retail FTTH broadband plans up to 200 Mbps must be offered to Public Data
Offices (PDOs) at tariffs not exceeding twice the corresponding consumer broadband price.
(d) & (e) Under PMWANI scheme, hardware & software is to be procured by PMWANI
stakeholders (PDOs, PDOAs and App providers). The solution developed by the stakeholders has to
be PMWANI compliant which in turn is certified by CDOT in accordance to PMWANI guidelines.
2Annexure-I
No. of WI-FI
S.No State
Hotspots
1 Andaman & Nicobar 275
2 Andhra Pradesh 6074
3 Arunachal Pradesh 1017
4 Assam 1063
5 Bihar 4086
6 Chandigarh 253
7 Chhattisgarh 2839
8 Delhi 198275
9 Goa 430
10 Gujarat 11857
11 Himachal Pradesh 936
12 Haryana 18131
13 Jharkhand 1042
14 Jammu & Kashmir 2299
15 Karnataka 21834
16 Kerala 4987
17 Ladakh 601
18 Lakshadweep 1
19 Maharashtra 33084
20 Meghalaya 256
21 Manipur 21
22 Madhya Pradesh 7592
23 Mizoram 3
24 Nagaland 78
25 Odisha 3040
26 Punjab 3713
27 Puducherry 89
28 Rajasthan 2891
29 Sikkim 13
30 Telangana 4284
31 Tamil Nadu 7501
32 Tripura 310
33 Uttarakhand 980
34 Uttar Pradesh 47549
35 West Bengal 4195
Total 391599
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