Bhopal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for cashless transaction appears defeated in Vidhan Sabha as shops located in state assembly premises receive payment in cash from buyers.
About 12 shops have been set up in Vidhan Sabha premises to promote government-run organisations like MP State Rural Livelihoods Mission, MP Silk Federation, MP Khadi Gram Udhyog, Tribes India etc. The outlets have been set up so that people who visit assembly can see the products and buy them.
Of the total, only two shops have Point of Sale (PoS) machines. Worse, shops have no access to digital payment like Bhim or other Apps. “We have PoS machines but due to poor network, the machine doesn’t work properly. So, we sell items in cash,” shop in-charge of Tribes India Alka Seravade told Free Press.
The shop in-charge of Urja Vikas Nigam Vinod Iyer gave a similar reply. “This is a temporary shop and we deal in cash,” he said. The shop has LED bulbs and fans for sale. Jyoti Hemrajani of MP Silk Federation said, “We sell all items in cash. We don’t accept cheques. Out items are expensive. We don’t have any other mode of (accepting) payment.”
MP State Rural Livelihoods Mission operates five shops in assembly premises in which clothes, cosmetics, soap, shampoo, hand wash, incense sticks, bangles, spices, special rice varieties, herbal products are sold. In-charge Har Narayan Pathak said they have been asked to sell items in cash.
MP Khadi Gram Udhyog also sells clothes, prickle, oil etc in cash. “We’re doing good business. We have PoS machine but due to poor connectivity, transactions are not always possible through it,” shop in-charge Ajay Singh Parihar said.
Vidhan Sabha, where cash remains the king, raises a big question. If mobile network connectivity is poor in state assembly premises, one can imagine the condition in rural areas.
