SURAJ NANDREKAR
suraj@herald-goa.com
As a part of Smart city initiative the Panjimites would get Smart card which will help them make purchases without worrying about the bank charges.
GSIDC vice-president Siddharth Kunkaliencar and Smart City Mission Managing Director Swayan Chaudhari informed Herald that every Panjimite will be able to avail the City card as a push for digital payments.
“We want to improve the standard of living for every citizen of the State and to begin with under the Smart City project we would be launching the Smart Card facility,” Kunkaliencar said.
He stated that the cards will be very beneficial for citizens as it would help making purchases once it is loaded with cash by the holder.
“On normal debit cards banks charge some commission and the merchants also have to be taken care so we are working on it and speaking to the banks to waive off or absorb those charges,” the former MLA said.
He said merchants don’t prefer digital payments as they have to pay commission.
“But I am not saying anything against them because if margin itself is low how can they pay 2 to 3 per cent commission?” Siddharth explained.
Besides purchases, Swayan added, the multi-functional card can be used for buying tickets for bus, ferry and many other things. “We are thinking on the lines how people can conveniently use this card anywhere they go. For instance restaurants, cafes etc,” he said.
Chaudari stated that all payments of government departments like PWD, Electricity should be accepted by this one card.
“Every smallest payment will be accepted by this card happily by the merchants,” he said.
Asked when things in Smart city in place, they said, “there are many things involved in it including tenders and as we see it may start take shape from January 2018.”
“The Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, is constantly monitoring the progress of smart city,” Siddharth said.
He added that not only CM but Prime Minister Narendra Modiji also takes monthly meetings on pragati sabhas and interacts directly with the nodal officers as well as chief secretary.
