PM Modi reminds Indians to ‘go digital’ in Mann ki Baat

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PM Modi reminds Indians to ‘go digital’ in Mann ki BaatPrime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to go digital in their day-to-day transactions, saying the full-year target of 2,500 crore payments can be reached within six months only if people start going cashless.
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Even though his step of demonetisation got severe criticism, it gained popular support which resulted in BJP’s landslide victory in the recent UP assembly polls.

While addressing the nation in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme, Modi said, "My dear countrymen, we must take our fight against black money and corruption to the next level. Can 125 crore countrymen resolve to undertake 2,500 crore digital transactions during this year? We made an announcement in Budget."

Also read: Demonetization – profit or loss? Let CAG deconstruct it

"Our 125 crore countrymen, if they wish to do so, they need not wait for a year, they can do it in 6 months. We should contribute towards reducing the use of cash, of currency notes," he continued.

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During his speech in the budget session, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced the target of 2,500 crore transactions in the year ending March 2018.

"There has also been an increase in curiosity about cashless transactions. The poorest of the poor are making an attempt to learn and people are gradually moving towards doing businesses without cash," Modi said. "There has been a surge in various modes of digital payments after demonetisation. The BHIM (payments) app was launched just about two months ago, but approximately 1.5 crore people have downloaded it."

Also read: Sweden is the world’s first cashless economy and has negative bank interest rates. Can Indian middle class handle it?

Modi also said that even the daily transactions, like paying for school fees, travel or medicines, can and should be digitalised.

Mentioning that it’d not only be a transaction but a service to the nation, he said, "You can't imagine how you can serve the country in this way and become a brave soldier in the fight against black money and corruption."

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(Image source: The Quint)