Skip to main content

Make digital payments, win Rs 1 crore lottery: Niti Aayog


In recent weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extolled the virtues of a cashless society. (HT file)
Niti Aayog on Thursday announced awards for people making payments through digital means. The Aayog’s CEO Amitabh Kant made the key announcement in a press conference.
*15,000 winners will get Rs 1000 each. The scheme runs from December 25, 2016, to April 14, 2017.
* On April 14, a mega award of Rs 1 crore will be announced. The second prize will be of Rs 50 lakh and third of Rs 25 lakh.
Niti Aayog’s announcement comes days after the finance ministry declared multiple incentives -- ranging from discounts on fuel, highway toll and railway tickets to cheaper insurance cover – for those using digital payment modes.
The government has come under opposition attack for its November 8 move to recall Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes but it has repeatedly defended itself, saying the decision was necessary to stamp out black money and counterfeit currency.
In recent weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extolled the virtues of a cashless society, giving examples of beggars using ATM machines, and said any pain from a shortage of cash was temporary and that the move will benefit the country in the long run.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Antonio Guterres, former PM of Portugal, sworn in as 9th UN Secretary-General

United Nations Secretary-General-designate Antonio Guterres of Portugal speaks to members of the media after being sworn in at UN headquarters in New York, U.S., December 12 2016. Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres was sworn in as the ninth United Nations Secretary-General on Monday. He pledged to personally help broker peace in various conflicts and reform the world body so that it becomes more effective. Guterres, 67, will replace South Korea's Ban Ki-moon on January 1 2017 after Ban steps down at the end of this year. He served as secretary-general of the UN for 10 years. Guterres served as the prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015. "From the acute crises in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan and elsewhere, to long-running disputes including the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, we need mediation, arbitration as well as creative diplomacy... As part of my good offices I am ready to engag...

India developing atomic submarines, says Pakistan

File photo for representational purpose | PTI

Smartphones of the future: flexible designs and new uses

The Lenovo CPlus is a prototype smartphone that can roll up and be worn around your wrist. With Gartner predicting worldwide annual sales of more than 1.5 billion units, here a few ways that smartphone devices could evolve in the coming years. When Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007 (also known as the "iPhone 2G"), it broke all the codes of the mobile phone market at the time. The device caused a sensation with its 3.5-inch touch screen, which could be used without a stylus thanks to multi-touch technology. It offered Edge, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity and ran its own operating system. The iPhone was even picked as the year's "Best Invention" by Time magazine. Little by little, the smartphone -- defined as a cell phone with a touchscreen, connected to the internet and able to be loaded with various applications -- took over from more basic flip-phone handsets with limited functionality. In 10 years, no other model has shaken up the m...