Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi reaches out to minorities urging them to go cashless

The inaugural 'cashless chaupal', an initiave of the Centre aimed at helping minorities connect with cashless economic system post demonetization, was organised in Moradabad on Monday with Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi pitching for Muslims to join the campaign against "cancer of corruption".

During the chaupal, held in the district's Dalpatpur tehsil, the Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) informed the attendees about benefits of digital transactions, propagating it as an "effective mission" to establish transparent economic system to fight black money.

Bank officials helped people present at the event in downloading various mobile applications related to digital payment, net and mobile banking and also made presentation on digital payment system, a statement said. "Digital transaction campaign is aimed at establishing an economic system which is based on less cash and maximum digital payment.

"Na nakad na udhar, karen digital len den aur karobar (neither in cash nor on credit, let's do digital transactions and business)," he raised the slogan while lauding the system, according to the statement.

"The Muslim and other sections should join this campaign and help eradicate the cancer of corruption," Naqvi said, adding the weaker sections of the society will benefit from the government's decision.

Stating that electronic voting system could attain 100% success in world's largest democracy, Naqvi exuded confidence that digital transaction, online and mobile banking too will be successful. He claimed that cashless system will help farmers and small traders as he averred that e-payment and mobile banking can be helpful in places where banking system is not available.

Citing example of direct benefit transfer (DBT) system used by the Minority Affairs Ministry to dispense scholarships to students from minority communities, Naqvi emphasised that digital system can help remove middlemen and ensure benefits reach the deserving individuals. He said the Minority Affairs Ministry has so far disbursed scholarships worth Rs 6,715 crore to 3 crore students into their bank accounts through DBT. 

The Union Minister said digital transactions will strengthen taxation system as more people will become part of it.

Stating that several countries such as Sweden, France, Canada, Britain and Australia have become cashless economy, Naqvi said such a system can be implemented in India "easily".

In India, there are about 103 crore mobile phone users, 50 crore internet users, 144 crore bank accounts (figures include multiple accounts held by one person) and 25 crore Jan Dhan accounts. Besides, there are over 14 lakh Point of Sale (PoS) machines and 73 crore credit/debit cards in use, he claimed. However, the statement quoting the Union Minister, did not mention source of the statistics.

The second edition of the chaupal will be held in Delhi on December 21.