Modi bats for Bhim app on Ambedkar birth anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated several development projects, including the Bhim-aadhaar app for financial transactions, aimed at creating a cashless society.

Speaking on Dalit icon Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s 126th birth anniversary in Nagpur, Modi said the ‘Digidhan movement’ was a “safai abhiyan” to end the menace of corruption and black money.

Addressing a gathering at the local sports complex after dedicating the 2,000MW thermal project in Nagpur, Modi said the Bhim-aadhaar digital payment platform will revolutionise the Indian economy by enabling each Indian to pay digitally using their biometric data through a smartphone.

He said it would boost digital payments in a manner unlike anywhere in the world and would be a step towards a ‘lesscash’ economy. The Bhim-aadhaar platform would play the same role of empowering the common Indian as promised in the Constitution of India, framed by Dr Ambedkar.

Modi also announced incentive programmes for Bhim-aadhar digital payment platform, saying for every successful referral, users can earn ₹10.

The scheme comes with incentives for merchants and customers-cash back and referral bonus. Under the referral bonus scheme, both the existing user who refers BHIM and the new user who adopts BHIM will get a cash bonus credited directly to their account. The Prime Minister appealed to youth and students to grab the opportunity to earn pocket money.

He asked information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to patent Digital India programme as it was being replicated across the world.

Modi advocated a paperless era and said in the future, a thumb impression — which was once considered a symbol of illiteracy — will rule the economy. “The thumb will regain its lost glory,” he said.