IT ministry to take over digital drive from NITI

Govt is trying to reduce its cash-GDP ratio to around 8% from existing 13%

The government has shifted the responsibility of promoting digital transactions from NITI Aayog to the ministry of information technology and electronics.
 

"The central government has already changed the business transaction rules to enable the ministry to promote digital transactions, including digital payments," a source said.

The source added the decision has been taken in view of the core competence of the ministry to promote digital means for various transactions.
 

The source said the government is of the opinion that NITI Aayog — which is a think-tank — should focus on monitoring and suggesting ways to improve various government schemes rather than getting involved in implementation.

The information technology (IT) ministry is responsible for promotion of e-governance for empowering citizens as well as promoting inclusive and sustainable growth of electronics and IT in the country. It is also responsible for encouraging the growth of IT-enabled services industries.

Earlier, the government had set up a committee under the chairmanship of NITI  Aayog chief executive Amitabh Kant to push adoption of e-transactions amid the cash crunch faced by citizens due to note ban.

The government also wants to promote digital transactions to reduce its ratio of cash to gross domestic product to around eight per cent, which is at present hovering over 13 per cent in the country.

Earlier this month, NITI  Aayog had made it public that 9,80,000 consumers and merchants had been awarded over Rs 153.5 crore in about two months under its schemes to promote digital payments.

It implemented two programmes — Lucky Grahak Yojana and Digi-Dhan Vyapar Yojana — to promote e-payments.

Aayog had said that of the 9,80,000 winners, more than 9,20,000 were consumers.