PANJIM: With Goa government opting for cashless systems since 2013, the State now aims at achieving 50 percent digital transactions despite certain hiccups like shortage of Point Of Sale (POS) devices.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar claimed that cashless transaction in the State has doubled after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for cashless economy post the demonetisation decision on November 8.
“Goa government is 100 percent cashless since 2013. All government transactions are cashless. I expect Goa to be the first State in the country to cross 50 percent cashless transactions. Traders and consumers should go for digital payment,” he said before unveiling the Digi Dhan Mela on Wednesday.
The former chief minister asserted that online payment mode in the State was recorded at 20 percent before demonetisation but saw a sharp rise thereafter.
“Online transactions have increased by nearly four times,” he stated and added, “How long it will take to achieve the target set will depend on various bottlenecks currently existing. There is shortage of POS machines because of increasing demand.” He claimed that nearly 60 percent of transactions at petrol pumps are through cards.
Stating that government departments are also increasingly going cashless, Parrikar conceded difficulties to make revenue collection cashless. “Now they are working on each government department having an account where all the money will be collected and in the evening it will be credited to the central treasury. Many people don’t know that to have a debit card, you don’t have to necessarily have an account. There are prepaid debit cards available,” he said.
Speaking about the fees on cashless transactions, Parrikar expressed confidence about a drop in the transaction charges. “Government is considering various options. I can’t disclose about the options but government is also trying the possibility to make transaction free (from paying the fees) below a particular level by cashless mode,” he said.
