To digitally empower millions of Indians in rural areas and educate them regarding cashless transactions, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on 9th Dec 2016 launched a TV channel called DigiShala.
This is a free to air channel which is broadcast nationally on DD free-DTH service with a potential viewership of 2 crore across the nation.
To achieve the objective of educating, enabling and informing citizens about cashless economy, the government initiated
Digi Dhan Abhiyan.
DigiShala will empower and enable citizens including farmers, students, Dalits and women to learn the benefits of digital payment according to MeitY minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
As digital payment rises, the tax base of the nation will also increase ensuring that the country’s GDP will rise.
DigiShala will inform and educate about various digital payment options through demonstration of digital payments using UPI, USSD, Aadhaar enabled payment systems, e-wallets and cards.
Linking demonetisation to Digital India, the government will also boost digital payment through credit and debit cards, internet banking, e-Wallets and mobile apps.
Central bank through NABARD will also support Rural Regional Banks and Cooperative Banks to issue Rupay Kisan cards to 4.32 crore Kisan Credit Card holders to enable them to make digital transactions at micro ATMs, ATMs and PoS machines.
Petroleum PSUs will offer incentives by providing a discount at the rate of 0.75 percent of the sale price to consumers on purchase of petrol and diesel, if the payment is made through digital means.
To expand digital payment infrastructure in rural areas, NABARD will extend financial support to eligible banks for the deployment of 2 PoS devices in 1 lakh villages with population of less than 10,000.
This will benefit farmers of one lakh villages covering a total population of nearly 75 crore.
Railways, through its suburban railway network will provide incentive by way of discount of up to 0.5 percent to customers for monthly or seasonal tickets from January 2017, if digital payment is made.
PSU companies will provide incentive of up to 10 percent of the premium in general insurance policies and 8 percent in new life policies of LIC sold through the customer portals, if payment is made through digital means.
Union Government departments, state governments and CPSUs will ensure transaction fees/MDR charges associated with payment through digital means should not be passed on to the consumers and should be borne by them only.
In PSU banks, merchants should not be required to pay more than INR 100 per month as monthly rental for PoS terminals/MIcro ATMs/mobile PoS to bring small merchants on board the digital payment eco system.
No service tax will be charged on digital transaction charges/MDR for transactions up to INR 2000.
For payment of toll at toll plazas or national highways using RFID cards/Fast tags, a discount of 10 percent will be available in 2016-2017.
Digital IndiaServices offered by Digital India include:a. DigiLocker
b. Attendance.gov.in
c. MyGov.in
d. SBM Mobile App
e. e-Sign framework
f. e-Hospital
g. National Scholarship Portal
- DigiLocker stores important documents digitally.
- BAS: Biometric attendance system part of government offices
- SBM: Swachch Bharat Mobile App is being used by people and government organisations.
- e-Sign: Citizens can digitally sign document using Aadhaar authentication
- Digital transactions have surged 400-1000% since demonetisation.
