By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: The Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the ‘Digital Payments Utsav’, a comprehensive campaign aimed at promoting digital payments across India, here today. Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, MeitY, Ms. Simmi Choudhary, Economic Advisor, MeitY, Shri Sanjay Bahl, Director General, CERT-In, Shri Akash Tripathi, CEO, MyGov, and Dilip Abse, MD & CEO, NPCI and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. The event, held in the presence of eminent officials from Central Ministries, Delhi Police, Banks and FIntechs, marks a significant step in the country’s journey towards digital transformation.
The “Digital Payments Utsav” is an extraordinary campaign that will showcase India’s journey of digital transformation, with a series of events and initiatives to be held from 9th February to 9th October 2023. The focus of the campaign will be on promoting digital payments in the country, especially in the cities of Lucknow, Pune, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, as part of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) event.
Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw shared his vision of the complete rollout of the digital credit system in 2023 and directed NPCI to take the lead in this direction. He also wished all the banks great success and urged shared the Prime Minister’s Vision of the digital revolution having a transformative impact on the hard-to-reach people in the country. He informed that Mission Bhashini – National Language Translation Mission and Digital Payments have come together to make UPI 123 Pay available in local language. This will enable a common person to make payments in her local language interface through voice.
In his introductory address, Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, MeitY, spoke to the gathering about the ongoing efforts to expand the reach of the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in India and beyond. He said that the focus is on connecting the unconnected areas of India and making UPI a global payment method. He highlighted that the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has already taken steps in this direction by partnering with countries such as Nepal, Singapore, Bhutan, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. The secretary also shared that UPI services will soon be available to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) living in 10 countries: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, the UK, and the USA.
Several significant initiatives were launched during the event, including a G20 Co-branded QR code, a G20 edition of the preloaded RuPay On-The-Go device, innovative products from banks and FinTechs, a joint campaign by MeitY and Delhi Police to promote secure digital payments, and a Coffee Table Book titled “Towards a Developed India Catalysing Inclusive Growth Through Digital Payments.”
In addition, 28 DigiDhan Awards were presented to top-performing banks, bankers, and fintech companies in different categories for their outstanding performance in the digital payments space. The awards recognize the efforts of these organizations in promoting digital payments and contributing to the growth of the digital economy.
Ms. Simmi Chaudhary, Economic Adviser, MeitY concluded the day with a vote of thanks, thanking Delhi Police, 93.5 RedFM, TagBin, NPCI, KPMG, NeGD, Digital Payment division, Banks, media partners, students from universities, and everyone involved in making the event a success.
The event culminated with the flag-off of the Digital Payment Sandesh Yatra, which will tour the country to educate citizens about digital payments and its security. The yatra is an important aspect of the Digital Payments Utsav and will help to increase awareness and adoption of digital payments in India.
The launch of the Digital Payments Utsav marks a major milestone in the government’s efforts to promote digital payments and drive digital transformation in India. The comprehensive campaign is expected to bring together various stakeholders, including the government, industry, and citizens, to drive the growth of the digital economy and promote financial inclusion.
