UGC asks universities, colleges to create awareness about cashless transactions

New Delhi:  UGC has asked all universities and colleges across the country to launch a month-long campaign to create awareness about cashless transactions.

In a letter to varsities, the University Grants Commission (UGC) said a month-long campaign from December 12 "can be run to educate and train students in various modes of digital payments".

An important component of this campaign is to ensure that every campus becomes completely cashless by adopting digital payment systems in all its receipts, payments and transactions within the campus, the UGC said.

Following is the full text of the letter (courtesy - ugc.ac.in):

"You are aware that Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched VITTIYA SAKSHARATA ABHIYAN (VISAKA) - a campaign for promoting a digital economy through youth volunteers from the higher educational institutions of the country. Hon'ble Minister for Human Resource Development has already unveiled the plan in a Video Conference connecting all Universities/llTs/llMs/NlTs/lllTs/ llSERs/other higher educational institutions on 1"' December, 2016.

The details of presentation by Hon'ble Minister for Human Resource Development in the matter may be seen in www.mhrd.qov.in/visaka. Participation in the campaign by the youth in the higher educational institutions is highly relevant because fhey would be the main beneficiaries in creating a digital economy - free of corruption, black money; completely transparent and just.

lt is therefore essential that the heads of all institutions educate and train their students in the various modes of digital payments and encourage them to join as volunteers in large numbers for this campaign. These volunteers would need to be guided by faculty who are aware about the digital payment systems and are enthusiastic to participate in the effort. An important component of this campaign is to ensure that every campus becomes completely cashless by adopting digital payment systems in all its receipts, payments and transactions within the campus.

This process would need to be pioneered by you as a leader of the institution, personally. The NSS and NCC units in your institution may be asked to meet immediately and identify one nearby market/mandi to transform it into a digital market place, where all shops/establishments/traders located therein are enabled with digital payment systems. A website has been launched in www.mhrd.gov.in/visaka which provides for: downloading material, registration of volunteers, giving feedback and uploading progress repofis.

This campaign may be run for a month between 12th December,2016 and i2th January, 20'17. A detailed plan of action in this regard is enclosed with the request to follow the date-lines without fail. You are requested to kindly instruct the colleges affiliated with your esteemed university to Initiate action on the above immedlately. Action taken in this regard may be intimated to UGC on email ugc.action@gmail.com.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development proposes to award the best institution which has done commendable work in this respect at a function that will be separately organised."