Pledge to make India a cashless society: Highlights from PM Modi’s Mann ki Baat

In his 26th monthly radio talk to the nation “Mann ki Baat”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday talked about how the decision to scrap high-value notes has caused some pain but will ensure a greater good in the long run.

The prime minister also talked about the benefits and ways people are figuring out to deal with the demonetisation, which has caused major cash chaos across the country since his November 8 announcement.

Here are updates from the November 27’s Mann ki Baat:

11.31am: I request you to pledge towards making India a cashless society. Share with people around you how to do banking from your smartphone and internet. Engage more and more people towards making India a digital-first, cashless economy: PM Modi

11.28am: Scrapping these notes has opened other avenues to make payments. Download apps of banks and e-payment options. Shopkeepers can keep card swiping facilities and everyone can ensure they pay safe using their credit and debit cards

If not a 100% cashless society, I request you to make India ‘less-cash society’: PM Modi.

11.18am: People who had not paid their taxes and dues to the government for long are queuing by themselves to pay the dues. In 47 municipal organisations where last month the revenue collected was Rs 3,000-3,500 Crore, after the Nov 8 announcement, it has gone up to Rs 13,000 Crore: PM Modi on benefits of demonetisation.

11.12am: I want to tell those who are over-paying some poor to get rid of their own black money: I request you to please not push the poor, ignorant of all this, into trouble: PM Modi

11.08am: Speaking on demonetisation, PM Modi says, it was a big decision to solve the problem plaguing us for past 70 years. So it’ll take at least 50 days to get rid of the black money problem. I appreciate the patience Indians have shown towards this move.

11.04am: Last month we all celebrated Diwali. Like always, I celebrated this festival with our Jawans. The soldiers at the border told me that they didn’t miss their homes this time. They said they also joined the entire nation in celebrating the festival.

I appeal to you not to limit this togetherness to festivals. Unite and remember our jawans in one way or the other on every occasion.

11.02am: PM Modi begins his 26th Mann ki Baat address.

Follow full coverage of the black money crackdown here

Last week, the winter session of Parliament so far has seen bitter and sometimes ugly exchanges between the government and rival parties over the decision to scrap old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, with the Opposition accusing the Narendra Modi government of unleashing financial anarchy and economic emergency.