New Delhi: Renewing calls for India to move towards a "cashless society", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said this was essential to curb black money in the country.
Exhorting citizens to begin using the "electronic technological" payments systems put in place, Modi in his 'Mann ki Baat' address over All India Radio said: "I urge fellow citizens to begin using the electronic modes of cashless transaction and illegal businesses will close down, black money will disappear."
"Through electronic-technological means we can now both pay and receive money. The world is moving towards a cashless society," he said.
The prime minister also said the move towards such a society was being enabled by the government's JAM initiative - Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhar and Mobile - to implement direct transfer of benefits.
"Through the JAM trinity, we can move towards a cashless society," Modi said.
"RuPAY cards have been given with Jan Dhan accounts and in the coming days these will have credit and debit card facilities, to disincentivise cash transactions," he added.
RuPAY cards were launched by the National Payments Corporation of India to address the needs of Indian consumers, merchants and banks.
The benefits of RuPay debit card are flexibility of the product platform and high levels of acceptance.
Happy to see girl students shine, says PM Modi
At the same time, the PM also congratulated students on their success in various examinations, and said he was "happy to see girl students shine”.
“Congratulations to all candidates for their scores in examinations. Happy to see girl students shine,” PM Modi said.
He spoke about a student, Gaurav from Madhya Pradesh, who had scored 89 percent but his family was not happy as they wanted him to get 90 percent.
Modi in his message to Gaurav said, "I have read your letter and I am sure there are many like you out there."
The PM requested all parents and guardians to accept their children's results “with a sense of satisfaction and motivate them for future”.
“Why to find negativity from everything. It would be better if everyone around you had celebrated your scores," he added in reference to Gaurav.
In a message to those who did not clear and succeed, PM Modi said, “life does not stop here. There is a lot to do”.
