Letters to the Editor

The longest day

Assembly elections of Himachal Pradesh are already over and the fates of all the candidates contesting are locked in the EVMs. The final phase of the Gujarat election will be over by 5th December and the results will be out on 8th December. The MCD election also ended on 4th December and the results are expected on 8th December along with the results of Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat Assembly elections. So, 8th of December 2022 will be the longest day for BJP, Congress and AAP. I wish them well.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Breeding ground

Once again JNU, a very famed Central university of the nation, is in the news due to wrong reasons. On so many past occasions, JNU has produced some traitors like Kanhaiya Kumar, now an active member of INC and founder of the Tukde Tukde Gang, Sharjeel Imam who conspired to slit the chicken neck which connects the entire North-East India with the rest of the country. Very interestingly, the latter's dubious game plan was backed and described as youthful exuberance by our so-called think tank, Dr Hiren Gohain. The latest wall painting slogan threatening a particular community of our nation should be taken very seriously by all patriotic Indians. Enough is enough. It is high time that the authority concerned acts with an iron hand against those quislings as we, the tax payers of the nation, can no longer afford to run a university producing traitors one after another.

JNU, instead of being a temple of learning, has become a breeding ground of traitors.

Lanu Dutt Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

India's first official digital currency

The Reserve Bank of India's recent introduction of the e-rupee marked a turning point in the digital revolution. The launch of the digital rupee is being hailed as a significant step in India's transition to the digital economy. According to the Atlantic Council think tank, 11 countries, including the Bahamas and Jamaica, have already introduced sovereign digital currencies, while 11 more, including China, South Korea, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, have been conducting pilot programmes. India has one of the most technologically advanced currencies in the world, and the e-rupee will advance financial inclusion and position India at the forefront of true digital payments.

The Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), a digital form of currency issued by the RBI, is primarily intended for use in retail transactions. The four cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Bhubaneswar will be the initial focus of the pilot. Nine banks have been chosen to take part in the wholesale digital rupee pilot project.

Since the announcement of the e-rupee in the FY23 Union budget, it has been one of the most anticipated developments. The e-rupee is a virtual currency that simplifies, speeds up, and lowers the cost of making payments. It is expected to strengthen financial inclusion and India's digital economy. The e-rupee can significantly aid in environmental preservation because it will reduce the need for paper and lower operational costs associated with creating, distributing, and storing banknotes. According to reports, the e-RUPI transaction process is secure and will maintain the beneficiaries' privacy by keeping all of their information completely secret. In contrast to other digital payment methods, e-RUPI does not require the beneficiary to have a bank account, which is a key differentiator. It guarantees a simple, contactless two-step redemption process that does not also demand the disclosure of personal information. Another benefit is that e-RUPI can be used by people without smartphones or in locations without internet access because it can be used on basic phones as well. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is likely be strengthened and made more transparent with the help of e-RUPI. There will also be some financial savings because vouchers don't need to be printed out physically. Therefore, e-RUPI is a cashless and contactless digital payment method that is delivered to beneficiaries' mobile phones in the form of an SMS-string or a QR code. The future of commerce is a cashless one and India has made great strides in that direction.

Krishna Kumar Vepakomma,

Hyderabad - 500045.