MUMBAI: The government has launched ‘DigiShala’, a Doordarshan free DTH channel, to promote cashless transactions in India — the first step in online payment education through the electronic media. The channel will be brought through GSAT15 (DD Direct DTH), 93.5 degree East, Receive frequency: 11590 Mhz.
The launch of the channel is part of the government’s ‘Digi Dhan Abhiyan’ under which www.cashlessindia.gov.in has been created to serve as a knowledge repository. The government plans to teach people how to safeguard their accounts from phishing and cyber crimes.
Minister of electronics and information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the television was one of the most effective and far-reaching mediums to create awareness. The ministry was rolling out a dedicated TV channel to inform citizens about digital payment ecosystem and its benefits he added.
DigiShala aims to impart information, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, on the online payment ecosystem, its benefits, tools, and processes. The channel, via its user-friendly content, will also encourage viewers to use online payments. The expected viewership of the channel is more over two crore across India. It will be available free (without subscription fee) and hence could be availed by the poor.
Prasad said that the channel would show programmes depicting demos of making digital payments using USSD, UPI, Aadhaar, e-wallets, cards, and various talk shows and panel discussions with experts, as well as information about products and services under the Digital India programme. Prasad said the goal was to help small traders and citizens to switch to digital payments.
NITI Aayog has meantime launched an integrated campaign across print, television, radio and social media promoting digital payments to turn India into a cashless economy. The commission has been tasked to create a simplified yet convincing communication. With a primary budget of Rs 5 crore, the campaign will run for a period of six months in 19 regional languages. The call-to-action advertising spots with a local tone highlight routine activities such as shopping, hiring an auto, bill payments or buying groceries in which consumers can use online payments.
On Facebook and Twitter, influencers such as Abhinav Bindra and Sakshi Malik are endorsing the digital payment campaign using #Digitalpayments and #IPayDigitally. The campaign has been created by The Moving Pixels Co and Thinkstr — Ahmedabad- and Gurgaon-based advertising agencies respectively.
The TVC ‘Mumkin Hai’ (It’s possible) features a mix of consumers across occupations, age groups and economic levels as the voice-over explains various digital options. The ad ends with the prime minister’s speech urging people to become a part of cashless India.
