All the Government colleges in Punjab are all set to be equipped with ‘Free Wi-Fi facility’ as the State Higher Education Department and Reliance Jio on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to the effect.

“All Government colleges in Punjab would be equipped with free Wi-Fi facility. With this, a major poll promise made by the Chief Minister has been met,” said State Higher Education and languages Minister Aruna Chaudhary.

She said the Department of Higher Education and languages had decided to set up free Reliance Jio Wi-Fi campuses in all the Government colleges spread across the State which would encourage the system of cashless transactions and digitalisation.

The Minister said all the Principals of respective colleges had been directed to provide suitable space and security for Wi-Fi and other relevant network equipment.

She also made it clear there would be no financial liability on the Government or any college or students.

The MoU was signed in presence of Chaudhary (Minister), Higher Education Secretary Anurag Verma, DPI (Colleges) Paramjit Singh representing the Punjab Government, and Reliance Jio’s State head TPS Walia, and its Marketing head Vaibhav Mehra representing Reliance Jio.

Walia said Reliance Jio would set up the infrastructure and provide its services free of cost.

As part of the introductory offer, it would give 20 MB free usage per day per user for all students and staff members. Reliance Jio will also block all objectionable websites as per Government of India directions, he added.

Already, the State Government has announced to cover its Industrial Training Institutes (ITI), polytechnic institutions and engineering colleges under wifi.