Lok Sabha Question No. 2929 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-02
Subject: Use of Digital Money
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2929 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2017

## USE OF DIGITAL MONEY

†2929. SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways proposes new schemes to promote use of Digital Money and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to provide cashback facilities to the passengers after online booking of Rail tickets; and
- (c)  if  so,  the  time  by  which  the  scheme  is  likely  to  be  fully operational?

ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House .

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2929 BY SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 02.08.2017 REGARDING USE OF DIGITAL MONEY

- (a)  to  (c):  Following  schemes  have  been  introduced  for  promoting digital transactions on Indian Railways:-
- i. The  facility  of  online  booking  of  reserved  ticket  has  been provided through Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation  (IRCTC)  website.  The  payment  for  tickets  booked through IRCTC website is made through various cashless modes such as net banking, through credit/debit cards, cash cards and e-wallets. To incentivize payment through digital money, service charge  on  online  booking  of  tickets  was  withdrawn  for  the tickets booked from 23.11.2016. The facility has been extended upto 30.09.2017.
- ii. The  facility  of  booking  unreserved  ticket  including  journey, season  and  platform  tickets  through  mobile  phone  has  been introduced in all suburban sections of Central, Western, Southern, Eastern, South Central, South Eastern and Delhi-Palwal and Delhi-Ghaziabad non-suburban sections of Northern Railway. Additional  payment  options  under  the  digital  modes  have  also been  introduced  to  widen  the  scope  of  digital  payments  for purchase of unreserved tickets.
- The facility of renewal of season tickets through IRCTC website has  been  provided  for  suburban  train  services  on  Central  and Western  Railways  wherein  payment  is  made  through  digital
- iii. modes.

- Point  of  Sale  (POS)  machines  are  being  installed  at  various locations of Indian Railways i.e. Passenger Reservation System (PRS)  locations,  Unreserved  Ticketing  System  (UTS)  locations, Parcel/Goods locations under an agreement with the State Bank
- iv. of India to install 10,000 POS machines.
- v. New mobile application 'Rail Saarthi' for booking of rail tickets has also been launched.
- vi. Service  charge  applicable  on  transactions  against  credit/debit cards for  purchasing  journey  tickets  at  UTS/  PRS  counters  has been withdrawn.
- vii. International Credit/ Debit cards issued outside India are accepted for booking of e-tickets through IRCTC website.
- viii. 0.5%  discount  is  given  on  purchase  of  season  tickets  through digital means with effect from 01.01.2017 up to 30.09.2017.
- ix. Free accidental insurance cover of upto ` 10 lakh for confirmed/RAC passengers has been extended in case of tickets booked online from 10.12.2016 to 30.09.2017.
- x. Provisions  have  been  made  in  new  Catering  Policy  2017  for installation  of  facility  for  cashless  transaction  viz.  POS/  Swipe machine etc. in all the mobile and static units.
- xi. 5%  discount  is  given  on  online  payment  made  for  availing services  like  online  booking  of  retiring  rooms  with  effect  from 01.01.2017.

Further,  certain  payment  solution  providers  such  as  e-wallets, mVisa  etc.  give  frequent  cashbacks  to  their  users  while  booking  etickets through IRCTC website.

However, introduction of new schemes or modification of existing schemes  to  promote  the  use  of  digital  money  is  a  continuous  and ongoing process.

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