Towards a cashless society: Mangaluru auto-rickshaw drivers embrace Paytm

[email protected] (CD Network | Chakravarthi)
December 7, 2016

Mangaluru, Dec 7: In a bid to avoid hassle of keeping change, a few auto-rickshaw drivers in this coastal city have embraced the change by installing mobile wallet Paytm in their three-wheelers.

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Kudla Souharda Sahakari, a cooperative of autorickshaw drivers, has pioneered this initiative with seven vehicles in the beginning. There are plans to bring at least 200 vehicles into the Paytm fold shortly, according to Sahakari president M. Prakash.

The shift towards Paytm was not a planned one, said the Sahakari's general secretary Ashok Konchady at a public dialogue on installation of GPS and advertisement flexes on autorickshaws here.

“A few concerned citizens asked us why drivers cannot move towards cashless payments to benefit the larger population,” Mr. Konchady said. The Sahakari immediately got in touch withI Search' at Kudroli which readily provided e-wallets to interested drivers. Any interested driver may approach I Search and get the wallet installed, he said.

Mr. Konchady said the application would go a long way as it would benefit both driver and passenger.

Ashok N. Nayak, one among the first set of seven drivers who got Paytm installed, said that the app would primarily eliminate the problem of small change. The earnings go directly into one's account thereby reducing cash handling risks, he said.

The Sahakari is taking steps towards introducing GPS trackers in autorickshaws of members and connecting them through a call-centre, for which the Transport Department is yet to accord permission. Similar is the case with installation of advertisement flexes on vehicles, he said, and added the Sahakari is confident of sorting out the issue. The flexes would bring at least Rs.1,500 a month income to drivers.

Regretting that a few were against the installation of GPS, Mr. Konchady made it clear that every law-abiding driver would welcome the move. Only those who have fraudulent or criminal intentions would oppose it, he said.

Mr. Konchady said the Sahakari's initiatives have received support from all sections of society, including political parties, NGOs, student associations and many more. Earlier, Mangaluru Senior Citizens Association General Secretary K. Ramesh Rao flagged off the Paytm auto-rickshaws.

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Comments

Mohammad.n
 - 
Wednesday, 7 Dec 2016

So in future everywhere only numbers will be in circulation. Actual money no one will have. One fine day if something wrong happens with the technology everyone will be on the streets. May Allah protect all.

Rikaz
 - 
Wednesday, 7 Dec 2016

These poor drivers are ignorant....they are making those corporate richer and richer....

Lorem lpsum
 - 
Wednesday, 7 Dec 2016

@Paytm how much u were paid @coastaldigest for this ad? I mean it would be generous if u could show true paytm horror stories

AK
 - 
Wednesday, 7 Dec 2016

Usually the money was going thru poor and now as i heard it will go thru the rich corporate and they can control even the auto rickshaw to suck their blood too of their hard earned money

Shaan
 - 
Wednesday, 7 Dec 2016

Dear Shaad mangalore, just for your reference Paytm is indian e-commerce website headquartered in Noida, uttar pradesh, it was launched in 2010, if you want more clarification search in google paytm and read, Dont misguide people,

Shaad
 - 
Wednesday, 7 Dec 2016

Andh bhakts call for boycott Chinese goods and Modi force common people to use Paytm which is major share from Chinese co.
Why this double standard or Kolavery?

SHAHID
 - 
Wednesday, 7 Dec 2016

This was narendra modis agenda to promote paytm and he succeded in it, i dont know what type of relation between modi and paytm is

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News Network
May 8,2024

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru North police have apprehended a minor in connection with alleged voyeurism incident reported in a private medical college in Mangaluru. 

DCP (Law and order) Sidharth Goyal said that the minor was produced before JJ Board as per due procedure. The incident came to light when a mobile phone was found in women's washroom in the college. 

The mobile-phone was discovered as it was ringing even when no one was in the toilet by the security guard of the college. 

Investigations revealed that the mobile phone had been strategically placed in the restroom. As a result, a case has been registered under north police station.

Further scrutiny into the matter uncovered the identity of the accused, a minor male aged 17, who had gained access to the college premises under the guise of being a patient. Following his apprehension, the accused was presented before the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Board in adherence to legal protocols.

The phone has been seized and a case has been booked under IPC section 354 (C), said the DCP.

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News Network
May 12,2024

Mangaluru, May 12: In a shocking development, a group of pilgrims which had travelled from Mangaluru International Airport to Saudi Arabia earlier this month, to perform Umrah has alleged that 26,432 Saudi Riyals, which were kept in a bag, have been stolen. 

In a complaint submitted to the Bajpe Police, Soukath Banu, wife of Ahmed Iqbal of Ajyad Tours and Travels, said that her husband, Ahmed Iqbal, along with 35 members, planned and scheduled to perform the Umrah and were travelling from Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) via Mumbai to Jeddah. 

Soukath Banu had given Ahmed Iqbal 2,000 Saudi Riyals for performing Umrah and other expenses. The group members were also told to bring Saudi Riyals to meet their expenses.

In her plaint, Soukath stated that the group had left for Jeddah on an IndiGo flight via Mumbai, and their return ticket to India was booked for May 13. 

At the airport, she said that 26,432 Saudi Riyals were collected in total, and they decided to keep them in baggage that had a lock. Accordingly, it was kept in the bag of Mohammad Badruddin Kadambar. The airport staff had even questioned what he had kept in the bag. 

The group reached Jeddah on May 1. To their surprise, Kadambar found that the baggage lock was broken open, the zip was damaged, and cash was stolen upon reaching Jeddah.

DCP (Law and Order) Sidharth Goyal said that following the complaint, one round of CCTV checks was conducted at the MIA along with the CISF personnel. The loading at the MIA was intact.

Further checks have to be carried out at Mumbai and Jeddah Airport as the victim found out that cash was missing only when they got the bag at the final destination, he added.

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News Network
May 4,2024

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Bengaluru: BJP leader Anantkumar Hegde represented Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha segment in Karnataka for six terms and now gynecologist Anjali Nimbalkar is putting up a spirited fight seeking to turn the tide and "deliver" it for the Congress.

Dr Nimbalkar is taking on former Karnataka Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who replaced Hegde, in this BJP stronghold.

A former Congress MLA, she lost the Assembly elections from Khanapur in Belagavi district last year.

The 62-year-old Kageri, a six-term MLA and a former minister, was also defeated in the Assembly polls from Sirsi.

"In the past 30 years, the voice of Uttara Kannada was not spoken and not even a single question was asked in the Parliament," Nimbalkar said in an apparent dig at Hegde.

If elected, she said her focus is to address the local issues related to forest dwellers, getting them 'patra' for their own land -- a battle they have been fighting for long.

Also on her priority list is getting a multispecialty hospital in Kumta as per people's demand, generating employment and focusing on tourism for the overall development of Uttara Kannada.

"Issues related to forest dwellers -- they want a 'patra' for their own land -- we will try and put forth these issues in the first session itself and we will see to it that maximum applications which are pending with the Central government get cleared during the first session itself," she said in an interview.

"So, our thing is that at least 50 per cent of the jobs should be given to the local Kannadigas in the Central schemes which are implemented in the district," she said.

Noting that Uttara Kannada has a combination of both beaches and temples, Nimbalkar said the district can be developed internationally in a much higher scale than "what actually Goa or Kerala is".

The Congress candidate is also banking on the five guarantee schemes launched by the Siddaramaiah-led government in Karnataka and the promises made by party in its manifesto at the national level.

Responding to a question, she expressed happiness that the Congress has fielded a total of six women candidates out of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka.

While campaigning, Nimbalkar said she was overwhelmed to see a large number of people, especially women, turning up for her rallies despite the intense heat in Uttara Kannada.

"They are very happy that the Congress has given a woman candidate and an educated candidate who herself is a doctor and a gynecologist. So they are excited that, yes, she can be our voice in the Parliament who can fight for our rights," the 47-year-old said.

"I have worked as an MLA (Khanapur), so they have seen my work in the Assembly and the expectations are like, yes, she will be the one who will be speaking for us and that faith is seen in their eyes," she said.

Nimbalkar strongly believes that when women enter any field, it brings a different perspective - be it in terms of management, policy formulation or even as homemakers.

Uttara Kannada is among the 14 constituencies going for polls in Karnataka under second phase on May 7.

Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats and the first phase of polling was held on April 26.

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