Jamshedpur, Dec. 15: Digital India's cashless mantra was hard sold at Bistupur market today.

A team from East Singhbhum district administration educated shopkeepers on how to procure and use point of sale machines, and gave them three days to switch from cash to card transactions.

Following orders of deputy commissioner Amit Kumar, Dhalbhum SDO Suraj Kumar led bank officials and functionaries of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) to Amar Market along Bistupur Main Road, where shops were asked to open current accounts by providing their trade licences.

The SDO set up five teams, each comprising bank officials. They were entrusted with the task of covering at least 40 shops per day per team. "Feedback on the cashless mission will have to be given every evening for the next three days and action will be taken against shops refusing to adopt the system," Kumar said.

Bistupur market, the steel city's main commercial hub, hosts over 600 shops. Most big ones already boast card swipe machines, but the administration has decided to ensure that even the smallest one follows the digital code.

"We wish to enforce cashless transactions across Bistupur market in three days' time. The next stop will be Sakchi market," the SDO said, adding that shopkeepers could choose between card swipe machines or e-wallets accessed through mobile applications.

Traders at Bistupur market had a mixed reaction to the administrative move.

Tinkel Bhatia, who owns a garment store, said he had no problem getting a swipe machine, but his customers might not take it well. "Few will be willing to pay the additional two per cent charge on every purchase. Our business will suffer unless he government waives that fee," he said.

Amit Dey, who runs a stationery store, said card transactions were more suitable for big shops, where people bought expensive commodities or purchased in bulk. "But, for shops like mine, where you get copybooks, pencil and erasers, the system may not be profitable because most people wouldn't like to buy a pencil for Rs 5 and pay through card," Dey added.

Assistant general manager of Bank of Baroda N.D. Jana said the Jamshedpur branch had already received over 500 application for installing card swipe machines after demonetisation last month.

"Following the fresh initiative by the district administration, we expect more application to pour in," he said, adding that officials from his bank were also part of the Bistupur mission.