Union Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has directed officials of his Ministry to achieve 100 per cent cashless working in all its transactions within 15 days.
In a meeting with senior officials of the Ministry and public sector units such as Food Corporation of India (FCI), the Minister reviewed “Cashless Working” in all transactions being made by his department, an official release said.
Paswan was informed that all foodgrain procurement operations of FCI are cashless and payments are being made through cheques and RTGS.
Also, the consumer affairs department has procured pulses of ₹703 crore during the current Kharif season by making online payments, the release added.
Cashless transactions worth ₹106.98 crore were done by the Bureau of Indian Standards during the current financial year and only transactions of ₹30,000 have been made through cash, he was informed.
“Thus, almost 99 per cent transactions in the Ministry are being made cashless,” the release added.
The Minister also directed his officials to issue an advisory to State governments to promote cashless transactions at ration shops also by installing card readers in POS machines, adding that cashless transactions should be made a pre-condition in all contract works for making further payments.