Daman and Diu: Hailed as ‘first cashless region'
Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir “commended the UT administration for taking the initiative to form Daman and Diu the primary cashless region of the country”.
IT IS a well-known sight by currently. an extended line of individuals square measure waiting outside the bank of Asian nation (SBI) branch in Bucharwada, in Diu, the little union territory set off the south coast of Gujarat. One lady claims that she has been waiting since vi am. At 11:30 am, the iron-grill door of the bank remains latched.
A few kilometres away, there square measure similar queues outside the SBI’s Wanakbara branch. 3 policemen keep guard, attempting to stay the group in restraint. The lone ATM within the building isn't functioning. it's constant story at the opposite banks too.
Earlier in the week, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir “commended the UT administration for taking the initiative to create Daman and Diu the primary cashless region of the country”.
But a visit to the bottom shows that it still features a great distance to travel.
While Diu could be a well-liked vacation spot for tourists from dry Gujarat, only 1 of its 200-odd bars features a purpose of Sale (PoS) machine, in keeping with office-bearers of the Diu District Liquor Association (DDLA). concerning sixty bars go by hotels settle for on-line and cheque payments, the remainder rely upon money transactions.
“We have applied for 2 PoS machines, and therefore the banks have assured that they'll be delivered early next month. Till then, we've to still deal in money,” says Shyamji Vaishya, owner of Royal Wine look in Bandar Chowk.
Vaishya, United Nations agency is additionally DDLA secretary, is one in every of the most liquor wholesellers in Diu. He says his wholesale business too depends on money payments. “While hotels don’t build money payments, the smaller bars still deal in money. concerning thirty to forty per cent of the payments that I receive is in money,” he says.
At Deepee Bar, that is that the only 1 with a PoS machine, twenty per cent of the transactions square measure in money. “People from rural areas pay in cash… however people who drink expensive brands pay by debit or mastercard. whereas we've had this machine for the last 2 years, cashless transactions were terribly rare before November nine,” says its owner, Hardik Sheth.
At ‘Honest Enterprise’, a mercantile establishment near , money transactions square measure the norm. “I submitted AN application to SBI for a PoS machine twenty five days past. however bank officers say it'll take time. acceptive cheque payments for tiny amounts is inconvenient,” says its owner, Imran Vora.
Bipin Shah, the owner of ‘Suresh Stores’, a hardware and paints look in Main Bazaar, says 9 out of ten transactions square measure in money. the remainder is in cheque, typically for high-value transactions.
At the ports department’s car parking zone, the parking fees — Rs ten for bikes, Rs one hundred for trucks — square measure solely in money. “Who can offer ME a PoS machine for assembling such paltry amounts,” says Kamlesh Bamaniya, United Nations agency runs the parking lot.
At the Diu Craft Mela, that began on Dec nineteen, none of the 20-odd stalls have the infrastructure to facilitate cashless transactions. “We have a contract with Diu touristry, then ought to got wind of a stall for this mela. we tend to square measure earning concerning Rs three,000 per day, whereas we've to pay concerning Rs 800 to the organisers,” says Gandhinagar-based Rajnibhai Shantilal, United Nations agency has got wind of a stall.
At the tower at the historic Diu Fort, Jagdish Hindustani, a lensman, offers to click pictures of tourists and provides instant printouts, for Rs thirty per copy. “I don’t apprehend something concerning card payments or Paytm,” he says.
The residents — a majority of them square measure fishermen — say they're an extended approach from being cashless. “For each fishing trip, i would like a minimum of Rs a pair of large integer. Diesel and ice square measure out there through cheques. however we want a minimum of Rs fifty,000 in money to shop for ration and different provisions for eight fishermen United Nations agency exit to ocean. On the opposite hand, the traders {are|ar|area unit|square MEasure} paying me solely through cheque since November eight,” says Ashok Bamaniya, whose father owns a fishing trawler.
Three days past, Bamaniya, stood within the queue outside the SBI branch in Wanakbara for 2 hours, however gave up when returning to grasp that the bank was giving solely Rs four,000 each.
But Nirjay Kumar, assistant branch manager of the financial organisation of Asian nation branch in Main Bazaar, says there's no money shortage. “We have received thirteen applications for PoS machines from hotels, bars, general stores etc, and we’ve forwarded the requests to our regional workplace in Rajkot. on-line transactions have inflated by around ten per cent since November eight,” says Kumar.
Raja Charaniya, United Nations agency owns 2 fishing boats, says his son makes frequent journeys to the bank for money. “Many of my thirty staff square measure from states like geographic region and don’t have bank accounts. there's no different thanks to pay them however in money,” he says.
Diu municipal council president Hitesh Solanki says groups square measure coaching folks in digital transactions. “These groups square measure educating trained worker, grocers, auto-rickshaw drivers, and house owners of provision stores among others,” he says. except for currently, huge hotels and restaurants square measure the sole ones acceptive cashless transactions.
It is constant story in Daman. With concerning eighty five,000 migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Odisha and geographic region, United Nations agency sleep in rented rooms and add textile and plastic factories and liquor distilleries, some labour intensive industries square measure troubled to travel cashless.
Daman District Collector Vikram Singh leader admits that over eighty government departments square measure still victimization money. “We have wanted facilitate from the central government. we've started AN awareness drive, through door-to-door surveys, and additionally command conferences with completely different organisaltion just like the Daman Wine Merchants Association, native Traders Association, Vegetable Markets Association, and Auto-Taxi Association concerning going cashless. Our duty is to form awareness, however we tend to cannot force them,” says leader.
Daman has concerning sixty liquor outlets and over 260 bars and restaurants that serve liquor. Mahesh Patel, president of the Daman Wine Merchants Association, says solely outsiders United Nations agency support least a crate pay by card. “There could be a shortage of PoS machines. The shoppers square measure largely industrial staff, residents and tourists from South Gujarat,” he says.
Deputy Collector Karanjit Vadodariya says there square measure nearly 535 PoS machines that square measure operational in Daman. “The amendment won't come back long, however we tend to square measure progressing,” he says.
Satyendra Singh, United Nations agency owns a textile works, says he has opened bank accounts for four hundred staff. “Earlier, we'd build cheque payments to the labour contractors, United Nations agency would then withdraw the money and distribute it,” he says.
Daman and Diu Administrator Praful Patel admits there's a shortage of PoS machines, however adds that “less money is money less”. “We have contacted most the families and educated them concerning cashless transactions. we've educated folks concerning United Payment Interface and the way they'll build payments through their cellphones. Most of the folks have debit cards and that they square measure responding. for instance, all the 60,000 electricity shoppers have paid their bills through cashless transactions,” he says.
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