Now, donate digitally at Puri Jagannath temple

BHUBANESHWAR: Whether the Pandas of Jagannath Puri do or not, Lord Jagannath is going digital. State Bank of India has installed a point of sale machine to enable digital payment of donations at the temple.

SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya made the first offering, and used the occasion to promise help to the industry for moving to a cashless environment.

“We made a beginning in the state by getting, yesterday (Wednesday), the Jagannath Temple Trust to take donations on the e-mode,“ she said, hoping that this auspicious start would help Odisha's move towards a cashless economy.

Bhattacharya was addressing the three-day Make in Odisha conclave that was at tended by FM Arun Jaitley and top industrialists such as Gautam Adani, Sajjan Jindal, Anil Agarwal, TV Narendran and Shashi Ruia.

As the impact of demonetisation is felt by everyone, the SBI chief seized the opportunity to ask industry captains to get their sub-dealers and retailers, the last link in the chain, together and help them change the way they do busi ness. “Today, because cash is not so readily available, there is obviously a problem in lifting stocks.We are making an open offer to tell the industry leaders if you get together, your sub-dealers and retailers, we will be in a position to provide them with necessary equipment as well as the necessary loans to give them back their liquidity,“ she said.