INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In the last few years India has taken significant steps towards becoming a digital economy
Payments through mobile phones, credit and debit cards, and internet banking have risen sharply
The government has been pushing citizens towards digital payments in order to make India a less-cash economy
The aim is to curb corruption and make transactions hassle-free
The government has also linked payments for various government schemes to peoples bank accounts directly to ensure benefits reach the
Jan Dhan bank accounts coupled with Aadhaar linking is helping the government achieve this goal.But the aim of digital transactions for
curbing corruption and ensuring transparency can be fully achieved only when citizens in the remotest corners of the country are able to
carry out cashless transactions
For this, various mobile banking services, payment wallets (through UPI), and public sector banks are doing their bit to promote digital
payments.In its latest initiative, a State Bank of India branch in Odisha has adopted a remote village to familiarise residents on how to
make cashless transactions and digital payments.According to news agency ANI, SBI's Kalinga Nagar branch adopted Bhagabanpur village in
Odisha and is helping each resident of the village understand digital and mobile banking systems better."Keeping Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's vision of a less-cash economy, the bank decided to take this initiative at Bhagabanpur to help all residents of the village transact
digitally," an official said.In their first attempt, State Bank of India distributed Android phones with a USB based 'fingerprint swipe'
device to the shopkeepers in the village and helped them and the customers transact digitally.Speaking with news agency ANI, State Bank of
India official Praveena Kala said, "The initiative is aimed at empowering the people." Initiatives like these, she said, would also help
bridge the urban-rural gap, and help villagers keep up with the technologies of today."We have issued mobile phones and Aadhaar-enabled
machines to 20 shopkeepers in the village
So anybody who has a bank account with SBI or any other bank and has linked their Aadhaar number to it, they can just come to the shop and
