Promote cashless transactions: Ajmer collector to traders

AJMER: Ajmer district collector Gaurav Goyal held talks with leaders of merchants’ associations on Saturday to form a ‘digital society’ to promote cashless transactions.

Goyal constituted a task force, comprising additional district collector Abu Sufian Chauhan and bank officials, to chalk out strategies for switch to a cashless system.

Cashless transaction is simple and hassle-free, and five facilities are available for it, said Goyal. “Aadhaar-enabled transactions are cardless and pinless, and most safe as fingerprint/iris authentication acts as your password which cannot be duplicated or copied.” This would enable mobile phone users to transact digitally using Aadhaar numbers, he said.

“For those who do not have bank accounts can have pre-paid cards from banks and can use them like debit cards at shops and other places of merchandise, and the amount would be deducted from the cards, which can be recharged,” said Goyal.

Calling upon merchants’ association members to help make the district a cashless transaction zone, the collector said the government would provide incentives for those who adopted the system.

A majority of merchants’ association representatives showed willingness to support the move. “It is a positive initiative taken by the district administration and we are in support of the drive,” said Ajay Thadani, secretary of wholesale dealers association. “But not everyone will have mobile banking facility or e-wallet, so that part of the business will remain cash only. We will do what the government asks us to do.”

The small shopkeepers’ association expressed reservations about the move. “Our businesses have been badly hit during the last 15 days; we do not know how we can move to cashless transaction as our customers are not used to card transactions,” said Joginder Singh of the small traders’ association at Kesarganj Market.