Indian Government seems to be taking “Digital India” campaign into next gear as it aggressively pushes technology giants for country-wide free internet connectivity. We recently saw similar projects initiated in the shape of Reliance Jio’s free internet offer, Google’s initiative for providing free Wi-Fi at Pune’s railway stations and the central government’s promise to bring WiFi to over 1000 villages.
In a similar vein of action, the government of the eastern Indian state of Bihar has announced free Wi-Fi access to every college and university student in their city, with the chief minister of the state, Nitish Kumar, urging students to use the internet constructively.
“The objective is to provide free Wi-Fi facility to help youths to move ahead in life and to become digitally smart,” he told Hindustan Times.
The move comes after the state, announced the Bihar Startup Policy 2017, which is a $76 million fund to help nourish a startup culture. Tagged along with the free WiFi policy, the idea is to boost the region’s economy via technology
The southern Indian state of Kerala also announced earlier this month that they will give free Wi-Fi to all citizens, even going as far as terming the internet as a “basic right.” Exciting times ahead for India!