Cashless transactions in villages by Dec 31: Jupally Krishna Rao

Panchayat Raj Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Wednesday directed that the distribution of Asara pensions be done in a cashless manner by December 31, especially by opening accounts and giving bank ATM cards to 17.81 lakh pensioners and women self help groups and by focusing on providing swipe machines at 8,691 village panchayats in the State.
At a high-level review meeting, the Minister directed officials to prepare a plan of action to encourage cashless transactions.  Krishna Rao asked the officials to create awareness among the beneficiaries and workers under



employment guarantee scheme. Directing officials to open a new account for every Asara beneficiary by December 31, he said that pension payments be done after biometric authentication.  
The Minister said that the payment of pensions be achieved by 100 per cent by January next.  Since cashless transactions would help avoid irregularities, the authorities need to encourage the use of ATMs and swipe machines.  He directed the officials to hold a meeting with bankers and post offices and see to it that cashless transactions were done at every village.