1000 VILLAGERS PARTICIPATED IN THE MOBILE BANKING AWARENESS PROGRAM
The past few days have seen upheavals in the financial sector. Demonetization of notes, the rush to exchange demonetized currency, queues to get money for day to day needs, hardships faced by many are the hottest topics of debate amongst all. Amidst all these news items has been filtering in the news about creating a cashless economy. The world has gone through these changes starting from bartering to metal coins to paper currency through the ages.
India’s Prime Minister in his “Maan Ki Baat’’ on 27th November 2016, spoke about the advantages of ushering in a cashless economy and requested the youth of the country to take this dream forward by educating at least ten others, especially in the informal employment sector, the uneducated workers and rural underprivileged about this. Sevalaya with its vision of uplifting the rural underprivileged ,has at every step sought avenues to improve the quality of life of this section of society. Even during the past few days, staff of Sevalaya have been going to the nearby branches of SBI and Indian bank and helping the general public by filling out forms for the illiterate, controlling crowds in front of the banks etc.
98 percent of the developed world’s transactions now take place online and India with its dream of being one of the world leaders in the near future surely needs to go in this direction. However the mindset of the public, more so in the rural and underprivileged section, has to shift from its comfortable cash based economy to the more popular online transactions. The rapid technological advances have penetrated to all rungs of society making mobile phones a commonly used device everywhere.
All that is required is a change of thought and an understanding of the simplicity of the process involved in online transactions. On 29th November 28, 2016 Sevalaya arranged for an awareness programme at its Kasuva campus where the managers of SBI Thiruninravur Mr. S Krishnamoorthi and Mr E Ganesh, Marketing Assistant, Regional business office, SBI spoke to nearly 1000 villagers about the use of the simple mobile phone as banking medium. He explained the process in simple language and spoke of the advantages of using their mobiles for all transactions. They could book tickets for movies, for travel , make payments, transfer funds without moving out of their house.
Most of these villagers work for daily wages and are paid in cash. By opening accounts in nearby branches, their phones would become a mobile branch of the bank and their wages would be directly credited by their employers. Further this would ensure that minimum wage rule is followed. They could also make payments at their local provision shops through this phone. The money left over would slowly accumulate in their account. There would be no necessity for them to visit the branches in person. This would also help in the growth of business of the small time shop keepers.
Mrs. Mala, who participated in the programme lauded the efforts of Sevalaya in association of State Bank of India. . This may be a temporary inconvenence to the parents but we all believe that in future this will definitely help everyone. This will also help in the growth of our nation, she said.
Mrs. Anjali another villager who participated during the interaction enquired the bank manager that if a third person deposits money in their personal account without any reason what would be the result. For this the manager replied that it is illegal if someone deposits money in someone’s account and if a person approaches for this cause they have to strictly avoid doing so.
Sevalaya will be taking this programme forward as a part of its Alumni activity .These alumni come from the surrounding villages. Alumni and staff would be covering different villages educating people in person , clearing their doubts etc. so that they could make seamless transfer from cash based economy to a cashless one.
