Free BSNL WiFi on Grand Road

Free BSNL WiFi on Grand Road

BHUBANESWAR/PURI:Union Minister of Communications and Information and Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday launched WiFi service of BSNL in Puri town ahead of the Nabakalebara Rath Yatra.

Initially, the BSNL service will be available between Jagannath temple and Mausi Maa temple during the Rath Yatra. BSNL will provide free WiFi service for 30 minutes per 24 hours, limited to three times in a month, which visitors can utilise in multiple sessions. After free usage limit of 30 minutes is exhausted, a customer can continue using the service on paid basis.

Earlier in the day, Prasad laid the foundation stone of Baramunda post office at a function held at a hotel in the Capital.

Addressing the function, Prasad spoke on the importance of Digital India programme and said the Department of Post (DoP) will launch postal banking service through its postal network across the country. The Postal Bank will become a reality in September with the RBI permission by August, he said.Prasad said DoP with 1.54 lakh post offices in the country is the world’s largest postal network and the Post Bank can be a game-changer in Indian banking sector in rural areas as well as become a market leader in domestic e-Commerce delivery segment.

While the current potential of e-Commerce business in  country is Rs 17,000 crore, the DoP has done a business of about Rs 500 crore during the first five months of this fiscal, he said, adding, efforts are on to expand the e-Commerce business.

The Union Minister said core banking solution was made available in 236 post offices after NDA Government came to power. Now, 2590 post offices have been brought under core banking network.

The Minister said the ATM facility has been increased from four to 115 within a year and efforts are on to set up 1000 more ATMs.

The Union Minister said at present, around 98 crore mobile phones are in use and there are 30 crore Internet users. The Government aims to increase Internet users to 50 crore in next two years.

Emphasising on manufacture of electronics in the country, he said his Ministry had already received proposal worth Rs 25,000 crore from entrepreneurs and cleared proposals of about Rs 12,000 crore.

Prasad said a special postal stamp on Nabakalebara festival would be released soon.

Source :  http://www.newindianexpress.com