The Centre has approved a proposal to provide free SIM cards to tourists as soon as they arrive in India. The service was launched by Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma on Wednesday, reported PTI.

The SIM cards will be pre-activated with talk time of Rs 50 and 50 MB internet data. They will be provided by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. The service will be made available first at Delhi’s the Indira Gandhi International Airport. It will later be launched at 15 other airports in the country.

Sharma said he got the idea when he had received a similar facility in Sri Lanka. “The initiative will help the tourists to communicate with their relatives at home, hotels, tour operators and so on,” he said.