Scarcity e-PoS Machines may delay Ranchi district administration’s move to make Nagri as the first cashless block in the district. Officials admitted that the unavailability of e-PoS machines and connectivity problem was a major constraint in achieving the target on or before the set deadline.
“Though, the district administration is putting all efforts to make Nagri the first cashless block at the earliest but some problems are being faced by them due to unavailability of e-PoS machines and connectivity problem,” said DC Ranchi Manoj Kumar. Out of the total requirement of around 200 e-PoS Machines in Nagri, only 80 of them have been provided so far, he said.
“There is also a problem of mobile connectivity in the area which may create problems for the people in future. Presently, we taking our own Wi-Fi devices to train them but once we come back from there, weak mobile connectivity may stall the whole exercise in the long run,” said the DC.
The bank officials also admitted that such problems are being faced in some of the areas due to sudden rise in demand of e-PoS Machines by various categories of vendors.
“We have seen over 3-4 times jump in request for connection for e-PoS machines in the last 40 days. Request from different vendors and professionals like doctors, lawyers, chemists, vegetable sellers, grocers, stationers, jewellers have been received in the last few days. A sudden jump in transactions by over 70 per cent has also been registered in the last 40 days,” said an HDFC bank official.
The banks however, have been asked to place their orders and wait for their consignments.
“Since these machines are manufactured in China, it is taking some time get them imported here. Bulk orders have been placed before them, it will definitely take some time to get them manufactured,” said General Manager of State level Bankers Committee Prasad Joshi. Meanwhile, the banks have been asked to promote m-PoS Machines which are smaller in size than the e-PoS Machines. “Copy of the transaction could not be taken out from it, otherwise it is as good as e-PoS Machines,” he said.
Field General Manager of Allahabad Bank also admitted that since the manufacturing has been outsourced, there has been delay in supply of e-PoS Machines.
“Orders have already been placed, but since the manufacturing has been outsourced to some of the Chinese companies, it is taking some time to reach here. Probably it will start reaching here within a week or so,” said Field General Manager of Allahabad Bank Parthodeb Dutta.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who launched mission cashless Jharkhand from Nagri Block in Ranchi on December 2, had said that Deputy Commissioners must ensure that at least one block in their districts shifts to cashless economy by December 28. Nagri was chosen for Ranchi district.