Indore: Data to be sold from Public Distribution System and other micro shops

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Shops running under the Public Distribution System (PDS), which distribute foodgrains, can sell data, too, as a Public Data Office (PDO).

According to official information, under the PM-VANI scheme of the department of telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, any person or micro business, such as a tea shop, paan shop, grocery shop, ration shops can provide Internet broadband service. For this, they will not have to pay any kind of licence fee to DoT and no registration is required. For detailed information on the PM-Vani scheme, one can visit the webpage https://pmwani.gov.in

To take this scheme to every ward, DoT and the government of Madhya Pradesh have undertaken a unique initiative, under which the food and supplies department, Madhya Pradesh, has directed all the district officers to set up Wi-Fi hotspots in fair-price shops. The shopkeepers should be motivated for this so that the general public can get Internet facility at affordable rates.

There are about 25,000 fair-price shops in the state. Currently, 12 PDOs are providing their services in the state. Connecting these fair-price shops by installing Wi-Fi hotspots, PDOs can be formed. The range of the Wi-Fi hotspots will be 100-150 metres and any person can use Wi-Fi service from his mobile through the PM-Vani app.

The fair-price shops will be able to sell foodgrains (flour as well as data) to the general public by becoming PDOs, so that the Internet will be available to the common man at cheap rates. At the same time, shopkeepers can make it an additional source of income. Shops willing to become a PDO can start this service by contacting any PDO. The list of all PDOs is available on the webpage https://pmwani.gov.in