Digital Era in a Cash Woe State

Ever since Demonetisation came into picture E wallets like Freecharge, Paytm became a saviour of daily household, before for having E Wallets account was like joining a moment towards Digital Era but afterwards it happens to be a necessity of everyone’s part of life. Demonetisation was difficult but most necessary step and because of this wings of opportunity in Digital Transaction has been opened. More peoples are now inclined towards the cashless economy for the seamless transaction. We can’t totally replace the cash economy or can end it but we can save some cost of Government of India who invest in printing cash by joining Cashless Economy, that remaining amount can be saved and used for any beneficiary programs in the Country.

No doubt digital transaction is not easy in first hand but it also a most rapid way to pay money, with a single click you can transact without much of a effort made on it. For cash you always needs to find ATMs, you may end paying extra as well with every withdrawal and then worry about cash’s security and search change here and there, sometime we end up paying a penny extra but it’s not a case with Digital transaction. Indeed we needs to take care a bit to protect ourselves from fraudulent rest it’s a best possible way to deal in a digital era. Digital Transaction also provides the transparency which we always needed in our transaction, it also helps to monitor the daily expends which helps any family to workout on a daily, weekly, monthly cost. 

India is a Youth-Centric Country and Youth likes to experience something new, they have less fear but excitement to try new. Today very few percentage of people wants things to be simple and rest of them like action to be live and on the go, tats why no matter whatever the Internet speed our Country lies between poor to average we gets a huge number in viewership via OTT Apps. Any cricket match featuring India or IPL draws a big number of viewership because of youths craze towards cricket and the option to join the game live. The adaptation of digital currency also giving strengths to Online content providers and tats why number of investment in such parlours are increased in recent past compare to what we used to have 3 – 4 years ago. As per future aspect content cost of Digital rights will jump upto 10% of what we have currently and price of Television rights will drastically see a fall. 

Cashless economy is the essential step for Digital India concept also it helps to tackle corruption due to its transparency. Digital India concept which led people to connect with E World opening the tons of opportunities from it, from business class to working class it representing the world in a simplified manner in our LCD/LED Monitor. For youths internet not only provides the education materials, platform to search jobs, website to entertain, E Shops to get a latest trendy fashion, paying the necessary bills are kind of examples from this never ending virtual world. This also helps any startup to join the online community to give the first shout also a small business owner to get explored by millions. Digital World has no boundaries and no limits and it takes no time to get understood or get it understand. 

Cashless Economy is a part of Digital India concept which also helps to increase literacy, there are millions in the Country who do have basic education but yet not aware from basic rights which are made to support the livelihood and to make the complicate thing easy. Now with Digital India any kind of subsidy reaching to someone’s bank account which is also a kind of document proof of that person. Bank account also gives a hand on information towards anyone’s savings and connecting all this info with Aadhaar, today people need not to find bank because their finger print and mobile number does all the work. There was a time when people needs to worry about doing all official formalities infact in rural someone needs to worry about his or her mobile recharge but tats no more a issue. 

Cashless economy gave a opportunity to live a easiest life, also to make someone a contributor towards the Nation’s development. Now people using a service and paying for it, there is no middle man in any kind of deal which was a venom in the society barring down the growth of the nation for a very long time. No doubt cashless economy which is a sub part of Digital India is not so easy to adopt but we can’t hold for a long time from a world which can be explore in one click. It’s a need of a hour to lift the standards by going cashless rather then saying to protect mother nature time to keep the trees alive because currency printed from paper and for paper trees get slaughtered, we should keep the nature clean, eliminates the middle man and earn some cash backs as well through such E Wallets.

[Archive Blog (02/09/15)] Digital India without Internet ?

Days after Days we’re going far away from proper Internet connectivity and costly plans will corner us one day from Internet. Don’t know how many blogs I will able to write in near future but that for sure rather then spending on Internet one day I have to take a virtual world retirement.

2 days ago 2 big duos Airtel and Idea increased the prices in 3G postpaid plans, its now increased by Rs. 50 and new package price is Rs. 300 for 1 GB earlier it was Rs. 250 for 1 GB. If we get proper speed and connectivity then we can able to consume it maximum in 2 hours so for ex. if I count 12 hours per day then 300 x 12 = Rs. 3600 means for Fresher their 1/3rd salary will goes to buy 1 day’s 3G need.

If some expert say then goes towards Broadband then don’t think it’s a easiest way to become internet friendly because first you needs to pay a big signing amount (Deposit) then also its not a guarantee you will get a good economical plan anyway if not then FUP (Fair Usage Policy) will become a villian and throttle your speed like you’re using Internet for free.

Big telecos was advocating Net Neutrality and tries to prove that this will help everyone to reach towards internet or basic internet will be free. But why these companies can’t realize that we’re using basic internet only on their assigned plans and we’re not gaining anything extraordinary by subscribing it.

Many Foreign based report comes that we need some rest from internet, too much internet or addiction will make us sick but don’t worry genius our Telecos are already helping us since many years we’re buying data packs of 28 days for the month of 30 and 31 days means off for 2 – 3 days in a month.

I won’t be surprise if Telecos will bring blackout day in Data packs too in near future, means Saturday or most probably Sunday will be out from data validity because weekends are the most busy day regarding Internet is a concern so let create a new rule to generate revenue and also hide from the infrastructure failure because weekend is the most we face trouble in the connectivity.

But if Telecos gonna restrict something then Internet giants will bring something innovatory and when those become popular then Telecos will goes to Govt. Agencies. Telecos restricted SMS packs in the festival days as they want revenues from it and defined it as “Blackout Day” so that no SMS pack will work. People moved towards Messenger apps then also Telecos having problem, Why so ? we need Data packs to use it then how people having advantage ?

TRAI restricted SMS count upto 100 per day to counterpart Telly Marketing and other Spam related messages but restricting SMS are really benefiting us ? No not at all infact they’re now active in other Messenger apps busy selling their product there and by restricting Messengers also will not help.

Biggest reasons Telecos are giving is infrastructure cost means before infrastructure was available for free when we used to get cheap data packs during UPA days ? Or Telecos took a loan to buy them ? I agrees that spectrum cost reached towards the sky then what was before but they already had infrastructure then what’s the problem to pay license fee ?

Currently Digital India campaign looks good in TV and Print Media but not in reality because of not having affordable internet, we having Android Phones but no pack can help us to install apps from play store and even update those. Then for what we’re cheering for Digital India ? Whatever low level internet we having it is costlier then before and buffers a lot even 3G sometimes so we’re not buffer free tats a reason 1 DTH launched a service by the claim of “Movies without Buffering”, that DTH itself behind from other competative DTH regarding Hardware wise mocking Telecos !!!

Currently DTH looks to me is more affordable then Internet that’s why I can see lot many DTH in slums because at Rs. 250 you will get 30 days pure entertainment and 3G at Rs. 300 that for 28 days and only 1 GB. Means TV industry having more growth then Internet.

When you see towards NDA Govt. you will found almost all Ministers or Departments are present in social network and they’re quite active there too. Infact PM Narendra Modi is present in almost all platform, he not even having account in SoundCloud but also having his own customized App. So Govt. is quite active and moving towards Digital but why can’t they protect the Interest of the people ? If we can’t have affordable platform then how we come online and move towards the path of Digital India ? Restricting Internet and killing the affordability factory will push us back then forward.

Weakness in "Go Digital" moment can push it back ?

Recently one of the leading opposition party and its leader's twitter account get hacked and voices start raising that does India is ready with "Go Digital" moment or "Cashless" moment, does India is ready handle the Digital era where our Country is far behind in literacy compare to many Developed Country. Well the thing is hacking of twitter account can't justifies the insecurity of the Digital era but indeed we're less prepare before a massive push. As I tried to bring out a fact that people who themselves chosen the digital mode for payment and shopping are basically because of some tempting offers from the company and not because they think its a future need. I remember of my time when University start taking College exam fees online without giving a proper knowledge on how to fill it, those days despite internet charges are quite less compare to today but had lots of weakness in the system like slow internet, slow respond time etc. etc. Those days forget about Internet even Smartphones was not a cup of tea for everyone and less supported. Phishing, Hacking was the new terminology and systems are not ready enough to fight the challenges. Except doing needful from Cyber Cafe a guy had no other option. Those days Banks just got a additional responsibilities without enough preparation but yes Universities and Banks was always ready to charge processing fees and annual fees for the maintenance of the system like we have opted the thing by choice and not like a rule.

Logo belongs to Digital India (Official Website: Government of India)

For next 1 or 2 years after launching the Online filling of a Exam Fees everyone used to be like a bully infront of the system. Those days due to high traffic even University Website remain down for most of the time, the form got open to fill just days before of your exams and except to pray for the successful transaction you got no other choices. You sit to fill the form very slowly University Website redirects you to the Bank Website, Bank Website ask you to change the password those days since Online Transaction was quite less need of Online Transaction was less as well hence obviously you have to encounter the password change activity all the time during the Exam Form filling, then after doing so process would start further after all this activity you finally found out that your form didn't filled but amount got deducted those days you won't even get confirmation message many times like today you got 80 out of 100 time so what just pray and keeps on checking the University Website. Obviously a big source of traffic used to increase because of this reason as well and if University start monetizing their websites then quite easily they would have make a lot of bucks for maintaining their system and update it with superior plans, well thats might happen or may not be but saddest part was that time or even before 2 years that Engineering students used to relied on less educated Cyber Operator for this entire process, I am not sure about current scenario but if Majority of Engineering student still believing to do a online transaction from someone else who is less qualified then you then its a mockery of a push of Go Digital and mockery of higher education in the Country which is already quite a costly affair to be honest.

No way we shouldn't move towards the Digital Era but less education towards it made things quite difficult for people to handle the technology which is known to ease your work rather then making it difficult. Not everyone has mail, not everyone has internet, so its not like everyone is quite sound of implication of the new gen technology also even if organization tries to it doesn't mean it reaching to everyone meaning of phishing and hacking should also being described in a simple way in every mode of communication which will help to reach people to people. We got many changes in society like from Paper Valet elections to EVM which is highly appreciated and accepted by everyone who cast his or her votes. Decade old ATM too accepted by most of the percentage of people but accepted quite late and not all of the sudden, similarly better management can deploy the planning more smoothly and efficiently. Indeed youths are more smart and progressive towards the digital era but system needs to be as well. When I wrote Deal with DeMonetisation or Deal with Politics !! I raised the point that we yet to got E Wallet from Govt. of India. After Demonetization exercise only push towards the RUPAY card increased not before it was when things was like as always. Banks are even asked to promote cashless transaction but surely push and forcing is a two different things and opposite to each other. We got twisted system, we got supercilious system, twisted one is quite easy and the other one is not every ones gettable.

Youths are in majority and they know the usage of E Technology well, younger generation are more keen to get a hand of to experiencing something new. You will found saying many with proud that they're the BETA tester of either a Mobile App or Mobile OS, no matter BETA testing is to realize the bugs and feeling the vulnerability but getting some extra features despite its not safe compare to normal users always excites the youth and thats why the growth and development in the IT infrastructure is quite high which is now expanded and reached in every corner of Household. Indeed a start is always a necessary if you're heading to foot towards the next gen era and then a push which is equally required to make sure that a start gets its destination. With Go Digital Era we got many options like Prepaid Cards, UPI based Apps from Banks and other third party developers, Mobile Wallets, Netbanking, Debit - Credit Cards and *99#. Yes in all the given options has some flaws, from that Net Banking is considered as one of the safest of all since transaction from the Net Banking need two passwords like Login and Transaction one along with OTP in the mobile but yes if not have Laptop and Computer then through Mobile any noob will stuck into it, Gateway failure will cause people a lot and ofcourse you will get a money back after 7 to 8 biz days if amount deducted but transaction not confirmed in this method. One of the weakest link from the above given options are Credit card which can hacked and can be made duplicate as well. Mobile Wallets becoming a good option but only verified ones are the trusted one. *99# need a good development since dependent on Aadhaar Card and Less choices are equalizing it as less effective.

No doubt that Digital Transactions are not safe but does it mean we won't take any step further and won't opt in near future ? Even we're using cash transaction its quite popular too but does we stopped using it after fearing from pickpocket ? Nope we have to be smart a little to safe ourself from the trouble. Giving importance to cashless transaction doesn't mean you start doing transaction in every worst case scenario, sensible and intelligence is the key always but yes we have to be ready with the future aspect all the time. One thing is needed and I guess most demanded is the processing charge, at this moment still some services deducting the processing charge which is a kind of curt in any such revolutionary moment. Yes you need money to manage system, servers but doesn't mean the cost should be charged from those who basically making the E era popular ? There are plenty more ways to support the maintenance cost, today when you check out IRCTC website for a example then you will found that it is well monetized quite well and must be earning too as from Ads but still IRCTC charges processing fees !! infact the more IRCTC pushes the E Transaction the less they needs to worry about the Man Power in Ticketing Counters. When a Government today strengthening the Digital India initiative with full force infact our PM got his own Mobile App then is quite easy to think about to launch a Government build Mobile Wallet too and effectively connect all Agency like IRCTC, BSNL, MTNL, State Electricity Board, Corporation Boards into it, it will not only help to save Crores of Rupees of Government in Manual Effort but also from Paper Formalities.

Its a time for every citizen as well to distribute a basic knowledge towards a Cashless Transaction and Digital Technology not in big frame but atleast in small circle whenever gets a opportunity, who knows any small effort can make a big difference towards building our Nation again. 

[BLOG] Digital India in the cost of Net Neutrality ?

Digital India Flag

Digital India is a great concept and first step taken after Mr. Narendra Modi's visited on FB, Google Headquarters at Silicon Valley last month. Everyone changed their DP in Facebook to show their support and excitement of quite a innovative model of its own type, bringing Internet in every household is not only tough but also a rigorous job. Without Internet / Information Technology, Digital India concept is pond without water. People needs to have a basic communication platform so that they can learn and understand the future technology and a vision of tomorrow.

Today at this era still more then 40% to 50% people not having basic internet means they may use internet but not as daily basis. Smart phones in the Country deploying in a rapid pace even basic phones now having capability to open Google although how much time it will take no one knows but atleast option is there. Today we're having digital platform more then physicals. People start taking interest on E Books then actual books, good for nature also atleast 1 or 2 Tree will be save and papers can be utilized on some other important work. Overall we're getting great materials in digital platform more then we ever think about in physical platforms.

Digital Platforms having disadvantages and Advantages both, at 1 end we're getting dumb from real world but at other hand getting smarter on digital platforms who knows may be tomorrow our main earning source will be from internet only. It is always beneficial to follow up the path of new gen which would prepare us as Future ready, time won't stop for any one but we have to jump up with the time hence carries a advance knowledge make some sense. And this can't be possible without digital platforms many may still didn't accepted this concept to gain but they also knows the importance of it.

Digital Platform is a 1 stop place of sharing and gaining, very easily and snugly you founds the views and reviews from the sharer. Basically we're using the shared resources to gain and others are benefiting from it, this exchange of communication made the Digital World quite big and vast and to be honest Future is also depends on it. We can't imagine our tomorrow without it because we can resolve any problem of our life via Digital Media. You wants to study, wants to share, need Bride, Groom, need - rent room - house, bike etc.. anything and everything is possible because Digital World is a kind of World which is expanding and not synchronizing. 

But now Governing people who can't stop the growth but want controlling in this part of World. A gin of "Net Neutrality" came from nowhere, every enterprise who're selling Internet wants to earn with it because as per them their income goes down too. After launching OTT apps people stop calling, smsing, MMS is just now a history like Telegram as OTT is more advance then 5 to 10 second clip sender. Today Telecom companies eyes are to strike on main source of their earning and that is internet. After seeing the growth of sell in Internet packs and peoples increased demand to buy Smart Phones gave the opportunists some chance to become green. In recent past Telecom increased the prices of Internet by 100%.

Telecos creating their own packs and platforms so does Internet giants and partnering with them means we have to follows up the same platform they're offering. Internet is very vast and open source anyone who wants to follow the funda of given and take will go through its own and expand the Digital World he don't want a interference of Telecos and Govt. to put a walls on it. As I said Digital India is great concept and free internet will make sure a positive response. But only if the entire concept have positive instance rather then a hidden agenda from or for service provider and IT Giants.

According to the expert Limited and Free Internet is better then costly packs but why costly packs can't come down rather then giving it for free ? Why prices can't come down of Interent offerig rather then a hike ? Having a Data pack which can be used for everything is better then bundled free pack ? If someone is not interested with Facebook and if twitter is paid to his telecom or if someone who use twitter and don't have Facebook in that case he have to either change his/her service provider or let the Free Bundled pack dry without using it. Surely here competition will not be fair but comprise will be the only way to move. 

Every Operating System bundled up with certain Apps but that doesn't means that they will block the other developers, history witnessed that such interdiction caused the brand badly then any good. Competition arise in a fair place not in a Azoic spot. Here if Govt. came up with their own platform no matter its a scrimp one but atleast will be consider as fair rather then having platform of Million Dollar which took a signup of only paid space. As per me low cost internet is better option to go with then any freeware because of 1 limitation and that is participation of less peoples who're offering their separate small world in the universe of Digital.