Mumbai, Mar 7 (KNN) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday announced that it will initiate a 75 Digital Villages programme to empower 75 villages across India with digital payments with awareness and support from local entrepreneurs and merchants.

Launching the Har Payment Digital initiative, RBI’s Governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday said payment system operators (PSOs) will adopt 75 villages in the country and convert them into digital payment-enabled villages, under the 75 Digital Villages programme and in observance of 75 years of independence.

The aim is to encourage digital payments adoption among people, Das said PSOs will adopt 75 villages in the country and convert them into digital payment-enabled villages under the 75 Digital Villages programme and in observance of 75 years of independence.

“They (PSOs) will conduct two camps in each of these villages to enhance awareness and onboard merchants in the village for digital payments,” Das said.

“The payments ecosystem has a variety of payment systems that have facilitated migration to digital. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has facilitated digital payments to merchants such as retail outlets, kirana stores, street vendors, etc. across the country,” he added.

PSOs are entities authorised by RBI to set up and operate a payment system.  (KNN Bureau)