The district administration on Thursday launched a special drive to ensure cashless transaction at Bistupur market within the next three days.
Following the instruction of East Singhbhum deputy commissioner, Amit Kumar, the Dhalbhum sub-divisional officer, Suraj Kumar started to connect to the shop-keepers by going over to their shops today.
Along with officials of various commercial banks and functionaries of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), the SDO led a team at the shops in Amar Market along the Bistupur Main Road and made the shop-owners aware as to how to go cashless in dealing with the customers.
While interacting with the shop owners, Kumar motivated them to apply for swipe machine from the banks by fulfilling the required formalities like opening up Current Account with the banks and providing trade licenses. Beside, convincing the shop-owners for going cashless while transacting with the customers, he also warned them of stern action if they do not apply for the swipe machine within three days time.
In order to ensure strictly implementation of the instructions, the SDO has also set up five teams comprising officials from various banks and gave them a task to cover at least 40 shops per day by per team.
Bistupur market is city's main commercial hub where more than 600 shops are located. Though most of the big shops had already installed swipe machines for accepting payment long before the demonetisation, the administration has decided to make each and every shops to follow the digital banking system.
" We are following the instructions received to promote cashless transactions. We have set target of three days time to cover the entire Bistupur market for bringing into the fold of digital banking. After covering the Bistupur market, we will move to Sakchi market for the same," said Kumar. He said either the shop owners will have to install swipe machine or go for the APP-based transaction system.
Meanwhile a stationary store at the Bistupur market said " The customers have doubts over card payment. The Government must first remove all the hidden taxes on such transactions. I have no objection in getting the swipe machine, but by doing so my customers will be a bit disturbed as they will have to pay additional two percent charge on every purchase through card swiping.
An official of Bank of Baroda said that the Jamshedpur branch of the bank had already received over 500 applications for installing swipe machine after the demonetisation on November 8."However, after the fresh steps being taken by the district administration we expect more application for the swipe machine will pour in our bank and also other banks operating here" said the official.