PM Orders Cashless Roadmap, Raast Deadline of Nov 16Business

Under the plan, all government departments are to complete the transition to digital payments, with Raast to be used for government payments from November 16. Raast is the country’s instant payment system, and routing official payments through it would make government transactions faster, traceable and less dependent on cash.

QR codes are to be installed at utility stores within a week, so that customers can pay digitally for everyday essentials. The government has set a target of 500,000 businesses adopting digital payments by June 2026, rising to one million, a scale that would bring digital payment options to shops and traders across the country.

The prime minister also directed strict action against anyone charging extra for digital payments. The practice of adding a surcharge when customers pay by card or mobile has been a common complaint, and the direction signals that the government wants digital payments to cost the customer no more than cash.

The push towards a cashless economy is aimed at bringing more transactions into the formal system, where they can be recorded and taxed, and at reducing the risks and costs of handling large amounts of cash. For ordinary citizens, the change would mean being able to pay for government services, utility bills and shopping without carrying banknotes.

Utility stores are a key part of the plan because they serve millions of households, including lower-income families buying subsidised goods. Installing QR codes there within a week would put digital payments within reach of shoppers who may never have used them before.

The target of one million businesses adopting digital payments is ambitious, and reaching it will depend on small traders and shopkeepers finding the systems easy and affordable to use. The 15-day roadmap is expected to spell out how the government intends to support that shift, including any incentives or assistance for businesses making the change.

With the November 16 deadline for government payments through Raast now set, the first test of the plan will come within days. If departments make the switch on time, it will be an early sign that the wider 2030 target is being taken seriously.