Assam's E-Wallet Toka Poisa Takes PM Modi's Digital Dream To The Fringes

GUWAHATI, ASSAM:  BJP-ruled Assam has taken a big step towards the no-cash economy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying popularise. With digital e-wallet Toka Paisa, which also has a smart-card version, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal made Assam the first state in eastern India to have its own e-wallet. So far, only Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have their own e-wallets. The centre sent in two Union Ministers - Jitendra Singh and Kiren Rijiju to Guwahati on Wednesday to be part of the launch of the offline E-wallet with a local language interface, which was developed by techies from the state-owned Assam Electronics Development Corporation Limited (AMTRON). A fortnight ago, PM Modi had praised Assam government for its numerous initiatives towards a less cash economy.

"This is designed to create digital communities in rural areas," said MK Yadav, the managing director of AMTRON. 

The state, he said, has many river islands and riverbanks which are isolated due to poor internet connectivity. "We have come up with offline smart card which can be used in POS (point of sale) terminals. These smart cards will be able to serve those areas," said Mr Yadav.

"Toka Poisa has only made its soft launch and will be available for download for smartphones in a week's time. But there is an instant buzz about it at least in Guwahati," said Shantanu Das, a banker from the city.

Since the ban on 500 and 1,000-rupee notes by the centre on November 8, nearly 7 lakh Jan Dhan accounts has been opened in the state's rural areas. Assam has also seen a growth of 21 per cent online tax collection - an immediate market.  "Our idea is to quickly equip the rural markets with Swipe machines and then issues the smart cards. In urban areas they will be given to outlets" said Assam Information Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta. But young entrepreneurs who have been opening up various hyper-local digital start-ups are skeptical.

"Will the people use it? It is very difficult to break the jinx as we have found while making our own product...those who are in urban areas, they will find it easy to use. But the government has to walk the extra mile to include rural people," said Ranjita Das, the co-founder of Wayside Store, a store-locator app developed by Ranjita and her brother Ranbir. The siblings are from Guwahati. This store-locator will be hyper-local app.