Bihar varsity initiative: Students to promote cashless transactions in 80 villages, slums

Magadh University has taken upon itself the task of sensitising villagers and slum-dwellers in seven of Bihar’s 38 districts on cashless transactions. The varsity will do this through its National Service Scheme unit, which has 8,000 students across its 72 colleges.

Around 8,000 students of 72 colleges of Magadh University (MU) will set out to transform 80 Bihar villages and slums into model cashless villages by sensitising villagers on cashless transactions post demonetisation.

Magadh University’s advisory committee of the National Service Scheme took the decision to popularise cashless transactions in villages post demonetisation.(Rajesh Kumar/Hindustan Times photo)

The students will take up seven of the 38 districts of Bihar. Twenty-five villages of Patna also figure on their list.

The students will motivate and convince villagers to use PayTM, ATM and debit cards for small payments to encourage people use minimum cash transactions and help the Centre’s drive against corruption and black-marketing.

The advisory committee of the National Service Scheme (NSS) of MU took this decision at its meeting held Tuesday.

Presiding over the meeting, MU vice chancellor (VC) Qamar Ahsan said, since mobile phones had penetrated into villages, people only had to be motivated to promote cashless transaction.

“As soon as colleges reopen after summer vacation, NSS volunteers will apprise villagers with Jan Dhan accounts in banks,” said Ahsan.

He directed NSS coordinator Brajesh Rai to coordinate with banks which have branches around the villages the varsity would take up.

Rai said, NSS units of 72 colleges had already adopted 80 villages in Patna, Jehanabad, Gaya, Arwal, Nalanda, Nawada and Aurangabad, but they mostly focussed on plantation, sanitation and health awareness.

MU registrar NK Shastri would write to principals of all its 72 colleges, including 44 constituent units, to revitalise their NSS wing, arrange special training for volunteers and monitor their activities through a WhatsApp group on mobile phones.