Kerala vows to provide free WiFi to all state citizens after declaring it a basic human right

More than 30 million people to be given access to free internet

(File photo) (John Moore/Getty Images)

The Indian state of Kerala has declared that internet is a basic human right and that all citizens should have access to WiFi.

Finance Minister Thomas Issac made the announcement and said the government would look to provide free internet access across the state.

The move is line with the direction provided by the UN, which believes all people must be able to access the internet to exercise their right to freedom of expression and opinion.

"Internet will now become a right for the people and within 18 months the internet gateway would be set up through the K phone network at a cost of one billion Rupees (£12.5 million)," Mr Issac said, according to Your Story.

The government wants to extend broadband connectivity to every house in the state and have WiFi hotspots at a range of public places.

The project has been named K-Fon and plans have been made to lay optical fibre cables parallel to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) lines.

Kerala has a population of more than 34 million and has one of the highest literacy rates in India.