Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Saturday said that Goa can successfully shift to digital transactions as it has more bank accounts than its population.
Speaking at a function organised by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Mr. Parsekar claimed that the State has 1.7 million mobile connections and 2.2 million bank accounts for a population of 1.5 million.
He also said that Goa was the first State in the country to have done 100 per cent coverage of bank accounts following the launch of Jan-Dhan Yojana. “In other words it is only Goa which can do it [shift to digital transactions]. Moreover, digital transactions will reduce incidents like dacoity at petrol pumps which are open 24 hours,” he said.
IOC’s Director (Marketing), B. S. Canth said that the company recorded 37 per cent digital transactions, an increase of 12 per cent since demonetisation, in Maharashtra-Goa region.
IOC declared that its petrol pumps in Goa would adopt cashless modes of payment.
Executive Director, IOC, Murali Srinivas said the company was taking the initiative of cashless transactions forward through mobile wallets, debit/credit cards and loyalty cards.
