Tamil Nadu Department of cooperation has commenced feasibility study to provide Wi-Fi connection at nominal rates to residents who live within a 200-meter radius near ration shops. A team of cooperation department officials under the Joint Registrars of cooperation is conducting feasibility study to convert ration shops into data centres.

The Prime Minister's Wi-Fi Access Network Interface Scheme (PM-WANI) is envisaged to convert ration shops into data centres to provide affordable internet connections to the general public. The feasibility study is focusing on the availability of space in the ration shops, the location of these shops, ownership of the shops, quality of internet service at the shops.

Cooperation department officials told IANS that the department has yet to get information from the Central

government regarding the tariff rates and other technical specifications of the project. Tamil Nadu has ration shops situated on hilly terrains and even in remote areas and each ration shop caters to people living within a 2 to 3 km radius.

The prime minister's wi-fi access network interface scheme (pmwani) is envisaged to convert ration shops into data centres to provide affordable internet connections to the general public

According to information available from the state civil supplies department, Tamil Nadu has 35,323 fair price shops of which 10,279 are parttime shops. The Union government guidelines state that the earnings generated through Wi-Fi hotspots will be credited to the accounts of the ration shops or the cooperative society that runs these shops.

With the presence of ration shops in hilly terrains and remote areas, the people living in these areas will be benefitted from the Wi-Fi hotspots. The technical details of the project will be made available after the feasibility reports of the Joint Registrars are submitted to the state cooperative department.