Govt will pay money to Collectors to make their districts adopt digital payments

With an aim to expedite the process of adopting digital payment platforms, the government on Sunday decided to incentivize the District Collectors, District Magistrates and Deputy Commissioners to inform, educate and communicate people in their districts about the benefits of digital payments for day to day financial transactions like buying and selling goods.

An incentive of Rs. 10 would be provided to the officials for every individual who has transited to digital payment mode or has undertaken any two of the successful transactions by any of the five method of digitals payments like, Unified Payment Interface (UPI); USSD (*99# banking); Adhar enabled payments, wallets and debit/Rupay/credit cards.

The Niti Ayoug will immediately transfer amounts of up to Rs. 5 lakhs per district based on population figures.

"This amount may be utilized as seed money to kick-strat the activity," an official release from the NITI Ayog stated.

The top 10 best performing districts of India will be awarded the Digital Payment Championships of India Award by the NITI Ayog and Government of India and the first 50 Panchayats which will go cashless will be awarded the Digital Award of Honour by the government.