Steps have been taken to tackle black money: Amitabh Kant

Focus is on poor, middle class and merchants so that they start using digital payments

GN Bureau | December 15, 2016


#Amitabh Kant   #NITI Aayog   #banking   #cashless   #Rs 1000   #Rs 500   #currency   #demonetisation   #Reserve Bank of India   #RBI   #black money  
Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aoyog
Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aoyog

The government has initiated numerous steps to combat the scourge of corruption and black money in the last two and a half years, said NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Kant said that there has been a spurt in digital payments since demonetisation.

“All government departments are now moving towards digital payments,” he said. “Our focus is on poor, middle class and merchants, whom we want to start using digital payments,” he added.

Kant announced two schemes - Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi Dhan Vyapari Yojana to spur digital payments. He described it as Christmas gifts for the nation. NPCI will announce 15,000 winners of Rs 1,000 each for next 100 days, starting from Christmas Day.



“Our objective is to make the digital payment mode a mass movement,” he said.

The union cabinet had approved a slew of initiatives in February 2016 to encourage digital payments and a transition to less-cash economy in a strategic manner.

The government had launched a major drive for financial inclusion in terms of opening Jan Dhan accounts, giving a statutory basis for Aadhaar, implementation of directs benefits transfer, introduction of RuPay Cards and voluntary disclosure scheme for unaccounted money.

Following demonetisation, there has been a spurt in the digital payments across the country and both the volume and amount of money transacted through digital methods has seen manifold increase since November 9.



 

Comments

 

Other News

How to leverage AI to solve urgent global issues

The world seems to be hurling towards World War III in all the possible scenarios: hot war, cold war, and proxy war. The battleground seems to have expanded beyond physical to digital or virtual/mixed reality with technology like drones. Moreover, the line between civilian and military targets seems to hav

Budget: Progress towards SDGs and areas for improvement

The Union Budget 2025-26 outlines India`s vision for economic and social growth while also reflecting the country`s commitment to sustainable development. As India moves closer to the 2030 deadline for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this budget presents a balanced approach

Repo rate cut by 25 basis points to 6.25%

The Reserve Bank of India has, for the first time in five years, reduced the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 25 basis points to 6.25% with immediate effect. Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate will stand adjusted to 6.00% and the marginal

Amitav Ghosh’s new work: Connections between the word and the world

Wild Fictions: Essays By Amitav Ghosh HarperCollins, 496 pages, Rs 799.00 Amitav Ghosh, one of a handful of Ind

How markets can help (and also hinder) fight against pollution

In the annals of environmental policy, few ideas have been as transformative as the Emissions Trading System (ETS). Born from the minds of economists in the late 1960s, this market-based approach to pollution control has evolved from a theoretical concept to a global tool in the fight against climate chang

Will Bihar complement the resolution of Viksit Bharat 2047?

As India completes its diamond jubilee as a republic, I am reminded of a statement by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, delivered during an address to the Bihar Chamber of Commerce in Patna on March 28, 2006. He said, “I have visited Bihar numerous times, and it has always been a source of happiness for me to

Visionary Talk: Amitabh Gupta, Pune Police Commissioner with Kailashnath Adhikari, MD, Governance Now



Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter