Cabinet approves schemes for boosting employment, internet connectivity

20:10 December 09

Cabinet approves schemes to boost employment, internet connectivity

15:20 December 09

Cabinet approves schemes to boost employment, internet connectivity

New Delhi: Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said that the Cabinet has approved setting up 1 crore data centres.

The Union Cabinet approved Rs 22,810 crore outlay for a new employment scheme that aims at encouraging businesses to do fresh hiring. Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana, the government will for two years provide employee and employer contribution to the retirement fund for new hires by businesses and entities, Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said, "Today Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the cabinet meeting in which historic decisions were taken. One crore data centres will be set up in the country. The Cabinet has also approved the laying of undersea submarine optical fibre cable to provide high-speed broadband to Lakshadweep."

He added, "4G services will be provided in Arunachal's Sudhur which does not have proper telecom services.  Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana, the government will for two years provide employee and employer contribution to the retirement fund for new hires by businesses and entities. 
 

The scheme would till 2023 entail an outgo of Rs 22,810 crore and would benefit around 58.5 lakh employees.

The Cabinet also approved laying of an undersea optical fibre cable to 11 Lakshadweep Islands to provide high-speed broadband internet connectivity, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday.
 

This would be on the lines of the one recently laid to Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The cabinet also approved setting up of 1 crore data centres, he said.

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The government has also approved a framework for the proliferation of public Wi-Fi networks through PM WANI scheme, Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

PM Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM WANI) would unleash a massive Wi-Fi revolution in the country, Prasad said. This would entail a complete framework involving multiple elements -- Public Data Office (PDO), Public Data Office Aggregators and app providers.

Union Law Minister Ravi Prasad said, "The PM has taken a personal initiative in ensuring a digital empowerment of the counrty and ordinary Indians. Prime Minister Wifi Access Network Interface (PM WANI) has been launched. It is an extra-ordinary historic step to unleash a massive WIFI revolution in the country.  

"No licence, no registration, and no fee would be applicable for the PDOs, which could be small shops or even Common Service Centres," Prasad told reporters after the meeting of the Cabinet.

The Cabinet has also approved the laying of undersea submarine optical fibre cable to provide high-speed broadband to Lakshadweep, he said.

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With PTI inputs