The Department of Telecommunication launched the PM-WANI (Prime Minister's WiFi Access Network Interface) in December 2020. In order to build a strong digital communications infrastructure across the nation, particularly in rural areas, the program aims to increase the proliferation of public WiFi hotspots. 

 The government wants to increase employment for small and microbusiness owners and give underserved urban poor and rural households access to low-cost internet by improving public hotspots. 

 The program encourages local and nearby businesses to offer free Wi-Fi for last-mile internet delivery that does not require a license or registration fee. 

One must download a PMWANI App that displays the available networks in order to access public hotspots under the PM-WANI scheme. Following that, the user can pay to use the network and select a connection from a list of ones that are offered. The user has access to the network until their balance is depleted. 

Most providers provide a basic internet connection with limits free of charge. This freemium model can help in ensuring basic internet is made available to all citizens of the country at a dirt-cheap price. 

PDO creates the Wi-Fi hotspots and gives users access to the internet. PDOs receive authorisation and accounting services from PDOA. The app developer shows the close-by hotspots that are accessible. Details of App Providers, PDOs, and PDOAs are kept in the central registry under the supervision of the Centre for Development of Telematics. 

As of November 2022, there were 136 PDO aggregators, 83 app developers, and 132,529 public Wi-Fi hotspots, according to the PM-WANI central registry.