GUWAHATI, Jan 11 - In a step towards cashless economy, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today inaugurated the Digi-Dhan Mela at a function held at the Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra here.
Synchronising with the two-day Digi-Dhan Mela aimed at strengthening the financial inclusion programme and digital literacy, Sonowal also unveiled an e-wallet billed �Tokapoisa� and an e-payment portal for making Assam a cashless State.
Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi�s decision on demonetisation and said, �the move was necessitated to put a spanner on black money, corruption and terror funding.�
Sonowal asked the deputy commissioners present on the occasion to organise awareness campaigns for cashless transactions in their respective districts. To give cashless transaction a fillip, such awareness campaigns will be organised in all gaon panchayats of the State on January 22.
Union Minister of State for DoNER Dr Jitendra Singh, while speaking on the occasion said the decision on demonetisation has reinforced the esteem of common men in the country and it has been done to transfer benefits to the poorest of the poor in the society. He said post-demonetisation the country has witnessed a 60 per cent reduction in terror-related crimes.
Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, State ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma, Keshab Mahanta, Atul Bora, several MLAs, Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia, NITI Aayog director Sanjay Kumar, NITI Aayog advisor Jitender Kumar and a host of dignitaries were present in the inaugural function.
Guwahati is among the 100 cities that the Centre has shortlisted for organising the Digi-Dhan Mela. Dibrugarh will becoming the second city in the State to organise such mela where it will be held from February 3.
Around 150 stalls have been put up in the mela by different financial institutions, including public and private sector banks, as also PSUs and other companies.
