Digital payment bound to pick up with new technology: FM

NEW DELHI, Sept 18:

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today expressed hope that digitalpayment is going to pick up momentum with more advanced tech-nology coming into the market.

A lot of people went in for digitisation in terms of mode of pay-ment more out of compulsion rather than finding it a more conven-ient method to transact, but that compulsion created a habit formany, he said after the launch of a mobile app for digital paymentsdeveloped by Google for India.

"We reached a peak figure (after the demonetisation), thenit marginally slipped and is now bound to pick up again," hesaid.

Built on the Government-supported Unified PaymentsInterface (UPI), Tez allows users, free of charge, to make smallor big payments straight from their bank accounts, Googlesaid.

The app was built for India, working on the vast majority of thecountry’s smartphones, and is available in English and sevenIndian languages (Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi,Tamil and Telugu).

Tez, a Hindi word which means fast, works in partnership withfour Banks -- Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and State Bankof India (SBI) -- to facilitate the processing of payments acrossover 50 UPI-enabled banks.

"Now, the time has come with application as simple as this thatwhat started as compulsion becomes a matter of convenience andeventually a matter of spending habit as far as Indian people areconcerned," the Finance Minister noted.

The app is available now for download on Google Play(Android) and the App Store (iOS). (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Sept 18:

The Central Bureau ofInvestigation (CBI) has regis-tered a case against officials ofArmy Medical Corps (AMC)and Medical Council of India(MCI) for their allegedinvolvement in corruption andsharing of sensitive informa-tion.

The probe agency hasbooked Santosh Kumar, LDC ofMCI; Col Ajay Kumar Singh ofAMC and others under section120-B of IPC and various sec-tions of PC Act.

In the FIR, registered onSeptember 16, CBI said, "reli-able information was receivedthat Santosh Kumar was in reg-ular contact with BRamachandhiran, Chairman ofSri Venkateshwara MedicalCollege Hospital and ResearchCentre, Puducherry, for sharingsensitive information and help-ing them with respect to someadministrative matter regardinginspections and approvals relat-ed to the aforesaid medical col-lege being dealt with by theMCI."

The probe agency allegedthat Kumar was also in touchwith Col Ajay Kumar Singhwho is empanelled as an asses-sor with the MCI for inspectingvarious medical colleges.

"Both these public servantswere in regular touch withRamachandhiran and they

held personal meetings in thisregard, and demanded illegalgratification for rendering sup-port and providing informa-tion at regular intervals," theFIR stated.

The agency saidRamachandhrian had allegedlyhanded over first installment ofbribe to them and they had againcontacted him to pay the remain-ing amount in Delhi in lieu ofshowing favour by way of pro-viding the aforesaid informationand help in inspections.

The CBI said that ColSingh and Kumar, in con-nivance with two other per-sons were also running a rack-et of leaking sensitive infor-mations, with respects toinspections, recognition ofcourses, number of seats andother administrative mattersbeing dealt by the MCI againstvarious medical colleges andinstitutions. (UNI)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 (PAGE 14) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU

ALL JAMMU & KASHMIR AGRICULTURE OFFICERS’WELFARE FORUM (AJKAOWF)KRISHI BHAWAN, TALAB TILLO, JAMMU

GRATITUDE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF OMOP IN JAMMU DIVISION

All Jammu and Kashmir Agriculture Officers Welfare Forum (AJKAOWF) feel highlyobliged and convey heartiest gratitude to Hon'ble Minister for Agriculture JenabGhulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, Hon'ble Minister of State for Agriculture Sh Sunil Sharma,Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department Sh Sundeep Kumar Nayak(IAS), Director of Agriculture Jammu Sh Hari Krishan Razdan and OSD to Hon'bleMinister for Agriculture Mr Ghulam Nabi Bhat for initiating process of filling of allvacant posts on basis of ONE-MAN-ONE-POST in Jammu Division. These initiativesshall boost the morale of demoralized Agriculture Cadre and motivate them for serv-ing the farming community with zest and zeal.

These progressive steps shall usher in upward mobility of all cadres VAEAs, JAEOs,AEOs and above and end stagnation, Multiple / Additional Chargism in this priority sec-tor. AJKAOWF also thank sister Associations NGAGA, JAKATA and All J&KAEA Jammu forsupporting and sympathizing our cause.

Sd/- Sd/- Gen Secretary PresidentAll J&K Agriculture All Jammu & Kashmir Agriculture Officers’ Welfare Forum Officers’ Welfare Forum

Jb. Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura

Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture, J&K

Sh. Sunil SharmaMoS Agriculture, J&K

Sh. Sundeep KumarNayak (IAS)

Principal Secretary, J&K AgricultureProduction Department

Sh. Hari KrishanRazdan

Director Agriculture, Jammu

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, ArunJaitley launching the Google Digital Payment app ‘‘TEZ”, at afunction, in New Delhi on Monday.

CBI registers case against officials of AMC, MCI for corruption