RBI panel for making all public payments digital

NEW DELHI: A Reserve Bank of India (RBI) committee may recommend that all government payments to citizens should be made digitally, one person aware of the matter said, requesting anonymity. The move seeks to ensure higher adoption of digital payments among the masses.

The five-member panel called Committee on Deepening of Digital Payments led by former Unique Identification Authority of India chairman Nandan Nilekani was formed in January, and is expected to submit its report in May, the person added. The panel will recommend ways to encourage digitization of payments and enhance financial inclusion. “Certain states have still not completely adopted digital payments. They continue to use cash or cheques. This has to change,” the person mentioned above said.