Saturday 10 December 2016

Central Govt. Announced Incentives for cashless transactions and get discounts

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The Central Government has announced on a package of incentives for cashless Transactions and promotion of digital and cashless economy in the country," it said. Cheaper fuel, free insurance on Rail tickets and many more. Promote cashless transactions, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today announced of incentives for those opting digital mode of payment for various services. 
GOI announces Incentives/ Package for Promotion of Digital and Cashless Transactions/ Economy 

(i.e. use of credit/ debit cards, mobile phone applications/ e-wallets etc.) 
These incentives/measures are following:
VERSION - I  
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made 11 key announcement  Petrol/ Diesel at Discount of 0.75% against digital Payments



i) The Central Government Petroleum PSUs shall give incentive by offering a discount at the rate of 0.75% of the sale price to consumers on purchase of petrol/diesel if payment is made through digital means.
Nearly 4.5 crore customers buy petrol or diesel at such petrol pumps per day who can take benefit of this incentive scheme.  It is estimated that petrol/diesel worth Rs.1800 crore is sold per day to the customers out of which nearly 20% was being paid through digital means.  
In the month of November 2016 it has increased to 40% and the cash transaction of Rs.360 crore per day have got shifted to cashless transaction methods.  
The incentive scheme has the potential of shifting at least 30% more customer to digital means which will further reduce the cash requirement of nearly Rs. 2 lakh crore per year at the petrol pumps.
Expansion of Digital Payments Infrastructure in Rural Areas
ii) To expand digital payment infrastructure in rural areas, the Central Government through NABARD will extend financial support to eligible banks for deployment of 2 POS devices each in 1 Lakh villages with population of less than 10,000.  
These POS machines are intended to be deployed at primary cooperative societies/ milk societies/ agricultural input dealers to facilitate agri-related transactions through digital means.
This will benefit farmers of one lakh village covering a total population of nearly 75 crore who will have facility to transact cashlessly in their villages for their agri needs.
Issuance of Rupay Kisan Cards to 4.32 Crore KCC Holders
iii) The Central Government through NABARD will also support Rural Regional Banks and Cooperative Banks to issue “Rupay Kisan Cards” to 4.32 crore Kisan Credit Card holders to enable them to make digital transactions at POS machines/ Micro ATMs/ ATMs.
Sub-urban Railway to offer discount of 0.5% for monthly/ season Tickets
iv) Railway through its sub urban railway network shall provide incentive by way of discount upto 0.5% to customers for monthly or seasonal tickets from January 1, 2017, if payment is made through digital means.
Nearly 80 lakh passengers use seasonal or monthly ticket on suburban railways, largely in cash, spending worth nearly Rs.2,000 crore per year.  
As more and more passengers will shift to digital means the cash requirement may get reduced by Rs.1,000 crore per year in near future.
Free Accidental Insurance of Rs. 10 Lacs for Rail Passengers buying online Tickets
v) All railway passengers buying online ticket shall be given free accidental insurance cover of upto Rs. 10 lakh.
Nearly 14 lakh railway passengers are buying tickets everyday out of which 58% tickets are bought online through digital means.  
It is expected that another 20% passengers may shift to digital payment methods of buying railway tickets.  
Hence nearly 11 lakh passengers per day will be covered under the accidental insurance scheme.
IRCTC Services at 5% Discount against Digital Payments
vi) For paid services e.g. catering, accommodation, retiring rooms etc. being offered by railways through its affiliated entities/ corporations to the passengers, it will provide a discount of 5% for payment of these services through digital means.
All the passengers travelling on railways availing these services may avail the benefit.
GIC and LIC to give 10% and 8% Discount against Digital Payments
vii) Public sector insurance companies will provide incentive, by way of discount or credit, upto 10% of the premium in general insurance policies and 8% in new life policies of Life Insurance Corporation sold through the customer portals, in case payment is made through digital means.
MDR Charges for Digital Payments to be borne by Concerned Deptt
viii) The Central Government Departments and Central Public Sector Undertakings will ensure that transactions fee/ MDR charges associated with payment through digital means shall not be passed on to the consumers and all such expenses shall be borne by them.  State Governments are being advised that the State Governments and its organizations should also consider to absorb the transaction fee/ MDR charges related to digital payment to them and consumer should not be asked to bear it.
Cap of Rs. 100 on Monthly Rental for Card Swipe Machines/ Terminals
ix) Public sector banks are advised that merchant should not be required to pay more than Rs. 100 per month as monthly rental for PoS terminals/ Micro ATMs/ mobile POS from the merchants to bring small merchant on board the digital payment eco system.
Nearly 6.5 lakh machines by Public Sector Banks have been issued to merchants who will be benefitted by the lower rentals and promote digital transactions.  With lower rentals, more merchants will install such machines and promote digital transactions.
Service Tax Waiver on Merchants Charges paid to Banks
x) No service tax will be charged on digital transaction charges/ MDR for transactions upto Rs.2000 per transaction.
10% Discount at Toll Plazas
xi) For the payment of toll at Toll Plazas on National Highways using RFID card/ Fast Tags, a discount of 10% will be available to users in the year 2016-17.
VERSION - II
Following are the measures aimed at expediting digital transactions.
GOI announces Incentives/ Package for Promotion of Digital and Cashless Transactions/ Economy 1.Digital payments for buying petrol and diesel will get a 0.75 per cent discount. Payments through digital mode availing services such as catering, accommodation, and retiring room in railways will get five per cent discount.
2. Suburban railway network shall provide an incentive by way of giving a discount of up to 0.5% to customers for monthly or seasonal tickets from January 1, 2017, if payment is made through digital means.
3.Buying general, life insurance policies and renewal premiums from PSU insurers’ websites will attract 10 per cent and 8 per cent discount, respectively.
4.Two Point of Sale (PoS) machines will be given to villages with a population of 10,000 people. One lakh villages will be selected for this scheme.
5.No service tax will be charged on all digital transaction upto Rs. 2000.
6.For payments at toll plazas on national highways using RFID card/Fast Tags, a discount of 10% per cent will be available to users in the year 2016-17.
7.Public sector banks are advised that merchants should not be required to pay more than Rs. 100 as monthly rental for PoS terminals/Micro ATMs/mobile POS. This is aimed at bringing small merchants on board the digital payment eco-system.
8.Passengers buying railway tickets online shall be given free accident insurance cover of up to Rs. 10 lakh.
9.The Central government through NABARD will also support rural regional banks and cooperative banks to issue “Rupay Kisan Cards” to 4.32 crore Kisan Credit Card holders, to enable them to make digital transactions at POS machines/Micro ATMs/ATMs.
10.Central government departments and PSUs will not charge transaction fees for payments made through digital means. The State governments have also been advised to follow it.