New Delhi, Aug 9 (KNN) To accelerate the acceptance of digital payments among merchants across the country and linking them with e-commerce portals Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has partnered with HDFC Bank, Mastercard, Common Service Centres (CSCs) of Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (Meity) and Global Linkers.

This first-of-its kind grassroots initiative named as "Digi Vyapari-Safal Vyapari "will transform the rural and urban economy and benefit small merchants and traders even in the remotest of places across the Country.

 India has a network of over 5 lakh CSCs that have at least one-two village-level entrepreneurs and employ about 12 Lakh people, who are digitally delivering several services to the citizens.

The village level entrepreneurs (VLEs), who run CSCs franchisee in rural areas have the power to connect with local communities.

They will now become instrumental in driving digital financial literacy and adoption programs in remote locations which otherwise don't have access to formal banking.

The 40,000 trade associations affiliated with CAIT will play the role of catalyst in bringing traders and CSCs together for availing its benefits.

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that realizing that e commerce will play an important role in business, the CAIT will make live showroom of traders on e-commerce portal which will have integrated facilities of digital payments, logistics and live chat.

The portal will do not only B2B but B2C business activities also and will be linked with Business Sans Border program of Singapore Government which will provide overseas markets to Indian traders, he added.

Speaking on this partnership, Smita Bhagat, Head – Government & Institutional Business and e-Commerce, HDFC Bank said, "We are proud to partner in this initiative that will make a big difference in the lives of small traders and merchants by ensuring that they have easy access to the business finance and banking resources.”

She said that it also ties in well with our ongoing social programmes which straddle financial literacy, financial inclusion and income-generating skilling at the bottom of the pyramid.