en.Wedoany.com Reported - Brazil's National Digital Inclusion Plan (Plano Nacional de Inclusão Digital, PNID) is in its final stages of development, with the government estimating that the plan will require 34.9 billion reais over five years to address gaps in infrastructure, digital literacy, and democratization of access to devices and services. The Ministry of Communications (MCom) notes that currently available resources in this area are estimated at only 14.8 billion reais, primarily from spectrum auctions, thus requiring a shortfall of approximately 20 billion reais to be filled through new channels such as internet platforms.
The relevant diagnostic report has been submitted along with documents from the interministerial working group. The document still requires public consultation in the second half of the year but has outlined the overall direction of the PNID. The Ministry of Communications stated that the final version will be released in November.
In the coming weeks, the government will establish a dedicated working group to delve into specific proposals for democratizing access to services and devices. Among the three pillars of the PNID, this branch is likely the most resource-intensive. According to Hermano Tercius, Telecommunications Secretary at the Ministry of Communications, the working group will discuss social and economic segmentation criteria to determine beneficiaries of vouchers, such as prioritizing single-mother households or elderly groups, as PNID resources are insufficient to cover all beneficiaries of the "Bolsa Família" program.
The interministerial working group report also proposes launching a financing program with affordable interest rates for purchasing computers and 5G smartphones. The document acknowledges that this program still requires coordination with financial institutions and relevant authorities.
In terms of digital literacy, the government acknowledges that approximately 65% of Brazil's population has digital skills below the basic level. To address this, several initiatives are planned, including a pilot training program for 30,000 beneficiaries of social programs registered in the "Cadastro Único" (CadÚnico) system, offering "micro-learning" courses in partnership with public institutions, launching a national anti-digital fraud awareness campaign, and developing TV 3.0 applications that contribute to digital literacy. Hermano Tercius stated that the government hopes to secure support from major technology companies in this area, emphasizing that platforms should also contribute to Brazil's digital inclusion and noting that their investments in literacy will ultimately be recouped through services. According to the Ministry's secretary, platforms had previously feared discussions might lead to taxation or the creation of a fund, but the government has addressed this through proposals coordinated with relevant industry sectors.
Regarding infrastructure, the Ministry of Communications considers network unavailability to be the least impactful factor among barriers to digital inclusion. Data shows that 1.6 million households in Brazil still lack connectivity due to insufficient network coverage. The report lists several actions, including expanding fiber optic backhaul networks to 628 underserved municipalities, deploying 4G or better networks in non-central small settlements (initially focusing on 1,300 locations), and connecting over 11,000 Basic Health Units (UBS) and 2,300 Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS) that lack adequate connectivity. The report also proposes establishing guidelines aligned with PNID objectives in future spectrum auctions.
Notably, of the 14.8 billion reais the government expects to be available for the PNID over the next five years, 80% is tied to future auction revenues, 17% comes from the Telecommunications Services Universalization Fund (Fust), and only 2.5% from the federal budget. Hermano Tercius concluded that the three existing funding sources require more than double the current amount to reasonably implement the PNID within the timeframe, highlighting the urgent need for additional resources.
