PANAJI: The state government has stated before the Goa Human Rights Commission that facilitating cashless modes of payment has not caused any ‘inconvenience’ nor has violated any human rights.
Government’s assertion comes in response to a complaint filed by social activist Aires Rodrigues with the GHRC against a government circular issued on November 30 seeking to make all business establishments in the state to opt for cashless transactions.
In an affidavit filed on behalf of the Chief Secretary, commissioner of commercial taxes Dipak Bandekar has stated that there is no violation of human rights on use of currency either in the form of cash or electronic payment, and no attempt has been made to ban or stop any payments using cash. The state government is merely facilitating alternative modes of payment.
The commission, which is headed by A D Salkar and also consisted of J A Keny, has adjourned the matter to January 23.
About the circular issued by the commissioner of commercial taxes asking traders to go cashless within 10 days, the respondent stated that it is not a mandatory directive for the dealers but an appeal to ensure that alternative modes of payment are available with them for ease of doing business.
In the affidavit, Bandekar stated that out of the 21000-odd traders in the state nearly 18000 have already installed POS machines which the customers are effectively making use for business transactions.
Stating that the commercial taxes department of a state had no jurisdiction to issue a circular seeking to make all business transactions cashless, Rodrigues had submitted that when the central law recognises cash as legal tender, it was impermissible for a state authority to seek to belittle the central legislation and put the common man into inconvenience.
The respondent has, however, rubbished the complainant’s claim, clarifying that the state fully recognises the central law on the modes of payment.
“The state government is providing an alternative mode of payment which is no way shall put the common man in any kind of inconvenience,” the statement has said.
Stating that 70 per cent of its payments are enforced through online mode, the commissioner of commercial taxes department stated that “the commercial taxes department receives 70 per cent of its payments and government receipts under various Acts enforced by this department through online mode and it has not been held up for want of network connectivity or due to poor power supply,” it added.