The Tamil Nadu government will offer free Wi-Fi facilities in large public spaces and schools, establish entrepreneur development centres and create e-commerce infrastructure, according to an official press release.

The Wi-Fi zones, called Amma Wi-Fi Zone, will be provided in 50 locations such as large bus terminuses, parks and other public spaces. Free internet facilities will be provided initially in 50 schools at a cost of ₹10 crore and funds will be allocated for the annual expenditure of ₹1.5 crore to maintain the facilities. This is in line with the State government’s announcement to provide internet facilities in high schools and colleges, the release said. A 50-seat entrepreneurship development centre will be set up in Coimbatore in a rented facility at Tidel Park. The IT industry body Nasscom will be a knowledge partner for the centre. More such facilities are planned in tier II towns.

To encourage e-commerce, a 2 lakh sq ft IT building will be constructed at a cost of ₹80 crore at the ElcoSEZ in Sholinganallur, a southern suburb of Chennai. The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency, the state nodal agency for e-governance services, has been recognised by the Unique Identification Authority of India – UIDAI for issuing Aadhar cards. The agency will set up 650 permanent registration centres at a cost of ₹25 crore across Tamil Nadu and these will be run by Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu and the Cable TV Corporation of the Information Technology Department.

AMMA e-Services Smart phone users in Tamil Nadu can also get a range of government services through Assured Multi-Modal Access to e-Services (AMMA e-Services), a new project.

The government also said a ₹5 crore office facility will be built within the Tamil Nadu Virtual Academy campus in Kotturpuram to house Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency, Directorate of e-Governance and the Cable TV Corporation which are now operating out of rented facilities.

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