There will be 100 per cent payment by digital mode by end of February 2021 in at least two districts of the State, feel banking officials.
The bankers have been assigned this target to be achieved by February end positively.
The State Level Monitoring Committee On Digital Payments (SLMCDP) chaired by Principal Secretary Finance Ashok Kumar Meena has chalked out a roadmap in this regard.There is continuous monitoring along with consultation among all the stakeholders, including RBI, SLBC, banks and various departments of the State Government, said sources.
While the Government of India is harping on deepening Digital Payment Ecosystem to help out the customers in a big way, the Odisha Government is supporting the initiative, said sources. The Digital Payment Ecosystem is activated in Cuttack and Balangir district with focused intervention. With deepening of Digital Payment Ecosystem in Cuttack and Balangir districts, Debit/ Rupay Card coverage is increasing in both the districts.
Latest report on expansion and deepening of Digital Payments Ecosystem reveals that in Cuttack Debit/Rupay Card coverage is 65 per cent and net banking Coverage is 11.34 per cent. Similarly PoS machine and QR availed by Current Account holders has gone up to 21.81 per cent. In Balangir district, Debit/Rupay Card coverage is 58.74 per cent and net banking coverage is 10.46 per cent.
PoS/QR availed by Current Account holders has gone up to 21.49 per cent as per official sources confirm. PoS Machine would be made available to all the Merchants.
Operators like BSNL, Jio, Airtel, Vodafone have been requested to take measures to improve network connectivity in both the districts. All Government receipts are to be collected on digital mode and fees of schools and colleges in both the districts will be collected through digital modes.
It has been decided that a special financial literacy drive would be conducted with participation of RBI, NABARD, banks and others, said an official.
Opening of brick and mortar bank branches are also stressed upon as well as provisioning of Business Correspondents are being taken up by State level Banker’s Committee (SLBC), said sources. According to sources at least 4,873 Gram Panchayats are yet to be covered by brick and mortar bank branches.
However, recently banks were asked to go for a detailed survey in 65 Gram Panchayats for setting up of brick and mortar bank branches and putting Business Correspondents.