Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, will be the Guest of Honor. Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, MeitY, and other senior MeitY officials will also speak at the event.
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has frequently shared his vision of digital empowerment of citizens, and it is India's time to realise its potential and emerge as a global leader in the field of electronics and information technology. UPI technology has transformed the entire payment space and has recorded the highest real-time digital payment transactions in the world, accounting for 40% of total transactions. 'India has demonstrated innovation prowess to the world,' said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
As India commemorates 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' and the 'G20 Presidency,' MeitY strives to provide all citizens with easy and convenient digital payment solutions, with a particular emphasis on including hard-to-reach geography and population, such as small merchants and street vendors. As a result, a comprehensive campaign called "Digital Payments Utsav" is being planned from February 9th to October 9th, 2023, in collaboration with all stakeholders, to promote Digital Payments across the country, with a special emphasis on the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) event cities of Lucknow, Hyderabad, Pune, and Bengaluru.
The event will include the release of a G20 co-branded QR code, the release of a Coffee Table Book highlighting India's journey to global leadership in Digital Payments and digital inclusion, the launch of innovative products from various banks that make digital payments simple and easy to use, the launch of Digital Payment Sandesh Yatra with the goal of making citizens aware of various digital payments solutions and sensitising them about the security and safety of digital payments, and the launch of DigiDhan.
This launch will also highlight how digital payments are enabling financial inclusion and empowering small merchants, street vendors, and ordinary citizens throughout the country. The Digital Payment Utsav will also provide an opportunity to implement digital payments as true "whole-of-government" initiatives, with active participation from other Central Ministries.
MeitY's broader mandate is to work towards the transformation of India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy, as well as to generate national self-reliance in the fields of technology and communication. On that note, a series of events/initiatives will be held throughout the duration of Digital Payments Utsav (9th February to 9th October 2023) to highlight India's digital transformation journey.
The event will conclude with the presentation of awards to bankers and fintech companies for outstanding performance in various categories, the launch of the Digital Payments Sandesh Yatra, and closing remarks by MeitY's Economic Adviser and Group Coordinator. A grand celebration of an innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital inclusion culture that is paving the way for the Prime Minister's vision of empowering the common man with technology.
