DIAL 14444 FOR QUERIES ON E-PAYMENT

A high-level NITI Aayog committee of Chief Ministers has favoured continuance of service tax exemptions on digital payments beyond December 31, in order to make India a less-cash economy.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who heads the committee was speaking to reporters after the fourth meeting of Committee of Chief Ministers on digital payment.

Meanwhile, Nasscom, telecom operators, and NITI Aayog have come together to create a dedicated helpline — 14444 — for addressing all queries on digital payments as government strives to attract majority of Indians into making cashless transactions post demonetisation.

Naidu said plans are afoot to import one million PoS machines to enable cashless payments across India. The Chief Minister said that the Committee of Chief Ministers will present its interim report on digital payments movement to Prime Minister Narendra Modi within a week.

“We are planning a sustainable, long-term, policy to attract a majority in India to move to digital payments through providing incentives...,” Naidu said. He added that two major breakthroughs using existing infrastructure — Aadhaar Pay and modified versions of USSD and UPI — would be launched soon.