Andhra plans to distribute free mobile phones, launch ‘AP Purse’ for cashless transaction

Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Nov. 26: With an aim to ease the problems faced by people in the state due to the implementation of demonetisation policy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.

Chandra Babu Naidu is planning to distribute free mobile phones to people, especially economically- backward classes, to undertake cashless transaction.

The Chief Minister, who has been convincing people saying the demonetisation problems are temporary but the gains in the long run will be fruitful, asked people to make effective use of mobile currency and debit and credit cards and Rupay cards, said a statement issued by the AP Government.

The Chief Minister is holding frequent reviews of the situation with RBI officials, State Level Banking Committees, state finance officials and district collectors at regular intervals, with his first priority being setting up of control rooms in all districts of the state.

The Andhra government is also planning to start a mobile App - 'AP Purse' - soon to provide short term, middle term and long term benefits to the people and wanted to make Andhra Pradesh to be the first state in the country in the adoption of cashless transactions, said the statement.

He has directed officials to make arrangements for providing drinking water and butter milk to the people standing in long queues before banks and ATMs and suggested to the banks to open separate counters for deposits, withdrawals and exchanges.

He said he has written letters to the Union Finance Minister to pump in more and more funds, along with smaller denominations, to the state to ease out the problems of the people.

Source: ANI