First the Stick and Now the Carrot as India to Offer Rewards for Citizens Who Get Rid of Cash for Digital Payments

by Kenneth Schortgen, The Daily Economist:

Back in November of last year India’s Prime Minister shocked his 1.3 billion citizens by suddenly declaring the two largest denominations of the Rupee to no longer be valid legal tender. This in turn caused a massive rush from the people to exchange their currency for hard assets such as gold and jewelry rather than to simply fall in line by turning in their money to their nearest banks.

And while some Indians have accepted the Modi plan of creating a new cashless society, many still are fighting to sustain their long tradition of transacting in physical cash.

So while the past few months have seen the government not only confiscate cash, but also invade private residences of those who might be harboring banned currency, one Chief Minister is now shifting gears by offering rewards to citizens who eagerly move towards digital finance, as he seeks make the city of Gao the world’s first completely cashless municipality.

Porvorim: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar, while presenting the annual state budget on Friday, announced that his government intended to carry on with the on-going nation-wide drive to make the economy as much cashless as possible.

“The government will encourage digital payments and make it financially rewarding. I propose to formulate an appropriate policy in order to discourage cash transactions,” Parrikar said, adding that the government would be strengthening the state’s IT infrastructure to permeate high-speed broadband connectivity to every corner of Goa in the next two years.

Following the decision to demonetize Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the then defence minister had envisaged Goa as the first state in India to become a cashless society. He had set a deadline of December 31, 2017, to achieve the target.

“Goa will be the first to become a cashless society in India. We have to support the Prime Minister’s dream,” Parrikar had said in November, adding that one can do anything once he/she has registered her/his mobile number with a bank under the central government unified payment interference. – India Times

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