Raje seeks Centre's help for waiver of banks service fee

Rajasthan has sought the Centre's support for enhancing efficiency in e-governance programme, IT infrastructure and waiver of service fee charged by banks on transaction carried out under the state's e-mitra scheme.
"IT is a platform on which the country has to grow. We have come to meet the minister to discuss our IT issues around Bhamashah. We wanted to inform him all that we have done and ask about new things that we can take to Rajasthan," state's Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje told reporters after meeting telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.
In an hour-long meeting with Prasad, Raje along with Rajasthan Chief Secretary C S Rajan and state's IT Secretary discussed various issues around use of technology in the state for e-governance, financial inclusion and telecom infrastructure.

Rajasthan also sought centre's intervention for asking banks to waive service charges in case of transactions through PoS devices (micro) with e-Mitra (Common Service Centers) and added that SBI has already waived off these charges.
The state has more than 20,000 e-Mitra kiosks (CSCs) are acting as points of service delivery for cash disbursement, by way of business correspondents of banks or through Micro ATMs.
The state delegation informed the minster that under various camps more than 125 lakh bank accounts have been opened and linked with Bhamashah Family profile.

However, till date around 85 per cent RuPay cards have been issued and the activation percentage is 45 per cent.

Rajasthan CM asked the Centre to give clear deadline to banks that by May they should ensure 100 per cent disbursement and activation of RuPay cards.
In the meeting, state representative sought systematic linkage of Bhamashah platform with Aadhaar to ensure that future changes in profile like address, phone number etc in Bhamashah will automatically update Aadhaar information.
Under Bhamashah scheme, Rajasthan government directly transfers benefits to eligible people.
Till date over 250 lakh transactions and disbursal of over Rs 1,470 crore have taken place under Bhamashah scheme.
Raje sought Prasad's intervention in improving telecom connectivity in the state.
"I believe that in coming days he will help us with 2G, 3G and 4G roll out in our state, increasing connectivity and taking forward IT. This is first meeting. We will keep discussing further," she said.

The state has sought 3G connectivity at least for all the
municipal wards and panchayat head quarters at 10,000 location and expeditious roll out of telecom connectivity at around 500 villages should be connected at the earliest.
"I am very impressed with their many schemes. Centre will extend all support required for expansion of IT services in Rajasthan," Prasad said.