Lok Sabha Question No. 81 (STARRED), answered on 2017-02-08
Subject: Digital Transactions
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: VINOD KUMAR BOIANAPALLI, BALKA SUMAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *81 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2017

## DIGITAL TRANSACTIONS

- *81. SHRI B. VINOD KUMAR: SHRI SUMAN BALKA:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the NITI Aayog plans to rank States on the basis of digital transactions and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Aayog has asked the States to submit their digital transaction data;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the response of the States thereto;
- (d) whether the NITI Aayog has also suggested to incentivise digital payments by promising a fixed  incentive  for  individual  and  also  for  district  collectors/district  magistrates/deputy commissioners; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND MINISTRY OF HOUSING & URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION

(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

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

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 81* REGARDING 'DIGITAL TRANSACTIONS' RAISED BY SHRI B. VINOD KUMAR AND SHRI SUMAN BALKA DUE FOR ANSWER ON 08 TH FEBRUARY, 2017.

(a): It has been decided by NITI Aayog to rank the States/UTs on the basis of digital transactions. Details of the parameters are being worked out.

- (b): No, Madam
- (c): Does not arise.

(d) & (e): NITI Aayog had constituted a Committee of Chief Ministers on digital payments which submitted its interim report to Hon'ble Prime Minister on 24 th January 2017. The Committee has, inter-alia, recommended various incentives for consumers and merchants in the form of cashback on digital spends, discounts on government payments via digital means, incentives to banking correspondents (BCs) and small merchants for digital transactions. The interim report of the Committee of Chief Ministers on digital payments can be seen on http://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/new\_initiatives/book.pdf.

In  order  to  attract  general  public  and  facilitate  significant  behavioural  change  among public towards digital transactions two major schemes - Lucky Grahak Yojana for consumers and  Digi-Dhan  Vyapar  Yojana  for  merchants  have  been  launched.  Under  the  schemes,  cash awards  are  given  to  consumers  and  merchants  who  utilize  digital  payment  instruments  for personal consumption expenditures. During 25 th December 2016 to 30 th January 2017, 5,91,145 consumers and 35,000 merchants have won prizes worth Rs. 97.07 crores for digital payments made through Aadhar Enabled Payment System (AEPS), Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), Unified Payment Interface (UPI) and RuPay cards.

To incentivize the States/UTs for promotion of digital transactions, it was decided that Central assistance of Rs. 50 crore would be provided to the districts for undertaking Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities to bring 5 crore Jan Dhan accounts to digital platform. The fund allocation is based on proportion of Jan Dhan accounts of all States/UTs. Under the scheme an incentive @ Rs. 10/- is provided for every individual who has transited to digital  payment  mode and undertaken at least two successful transactions by  any of the five digital payments modes viz: UPI, Rupay / Debit / Credit / Prepaid Cards, AEPS, USSD and EWallets. An amount of Rs. 13.32 crore has so far been released to 460 districts as first installment.

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