With the State government attempting to make Goa the first cashless State, bank officials and Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) officials conducted a survey in Ponda market, introducing cashless systems to vendors.
However, vendors grew worried when they were asked their mobile phone numbers and bank account details, fearing it may bring them additional trouble. Bank officials told vendors not to worry but this didn’t help ease the doubts. Resisting the move, vendors, said the government should have launched the scheme before demonetization, as this had already affected their business. Most vendors complained that their business is down due to shortage of change.
Sudesh Kalidas Nagvenkar and Chandranan Naik of Goa State Cooperative Bank, along with PMC Market Inspector Avinash Naik, were conducting the market survey. Two more teams of other banks, along with civic staff, also conducted a survey seeking details of customers and whether they are ready for e-payment. Before the survey, a meeting was held in PMC with officials of six banks. According to officials they are conducting the survey on government directions.
The form to register for the cashless system sought to know whether vendors, especially small vendors have bank accounts, mobile phones, and officials asked them to open bank accounts if they didn’t have. Further, officials were educating users on how to create a Mobile Immediate Payment System or how to transfer amount using MMID and mobile number besides installing card swiping machines.
Many aged women vendors did not have mobile phone sets and appeared worried and uncomfortable when queried on their bank account and customers.
Vendors Shrimati Naik, Nita Salelkar and others said they are unable to use mobiles properly. Most vendors in Ponda are senior citizens and most opposed the cashless payment system stating they lack the knowledge to operate mobile or card swiping machines and feared losing money. Many feared that they will be charged for the cashless transactions and even their daily income will be known to the government. “Why should the government know about our earnings,” asked a woman vendor.
They raised fear that their hard earned income will become taxable in the future and raised fears of losing money. Claiming that their business has taken a hit due to shortage of lower denomination notes they feel that they are suffering because of government decisions and many of them feel that this is more trouble.
