Digital Payments Utsav showcases India’s digital transformation journey
India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) will soon be available to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) living in 10 countries — Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE, the UK and the USA.
The focus is on making UPI a global payment method while connecting the unconnected areas of India, said Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, in the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY).
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has already taken steps in this direction by partnering with countries such as Nepal, Singapore, Bhutan, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates, he said as the Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the ‘Digital Payments Utsav’, a comprehensive campaign aimed at promoting digital payments across India on 9 Feb 2023.
Launching Digital Payments Utsav Logo, Vaishnaw said it is an extraordinary campaign that will showcase India’s journey of digital transformation, with a series of events and initiatives to be held from 9 February to 9 October 2023.
The launch of the Digital Payments Utsav marks a major milestone in the government’s efforts to promote digital payments and drive digital transformation in India.
The comprehensive campaign is expected to bring together various stakeholders, including the government, industry and citizens, to drive the growth of the digital economy and promote financial inclusion.
The focus of the campaign will be on promoting digital payments in the country, especially in the cities of Lucknow, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, as part of the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) event.
Vaishnaw shared his vision of the complete rollout of digital credit system in 2023 and directed NPCI to take the lead in this direction.
He also wished all the banks great success and shared the Prime Minister’s Vision of the digital revolution having a transformative impact on the hard-to-reach people in the country.
He informed that Mission Bhashini, National Language Translation Mission, and Digital Payments have come together to make UPI 123 Pay available in local language. This will enable a common person to make payments in local language interface through voice.
Several significant initiatives were launched during the event, including a G20 co-branded QR code, a G20 edition of the preloaded RuPay On-The-Go device, innovative products from banks and FinTechs, a joint campaign by MeitY and Delhi Police to promote secure digital payments, and a Coffee Table Book titled “Towards a Developed India – Catalysing Inclusive Growth Through Digital Payments.” fiinews.com
