MUMBAI: While the entire nation was in a flux with the sudden announcement of demonetisation, Times Network, a part of India's largest media conglomerate, The Times Group, was the only broadcast network that realized the need of the hour and initiated a nationwide campaign ‘Remonetise India’ to bring the economy back on track.
As part of the initiative, Sahayata camps were organized in Mumbai to encourage people to get Pan Cards, Aadhaar Cards and open bank accounts (Jan Dhan Yojana Accounts) for the development of Digital India. Bollywood Actress Taapsee Pannu was seen promoting the initiative and educating the citizens to learn e-banking, go digital and cashless for the coming future. The camp received tremendous support and response from the common man who were seen taking the pledge of remonetisation, going digital and making India a less-cash economy.
Times Network MD & CEO M K Anand said, “I think there is a lot of work remaining to bridge the Remonetisation gap. Urban India has started using less cash, but they will get back to their old habit if the entire system is not geared for a less cash way of life. The true benefits of Remonetisation will come only when we drag every activity into the formal economy. For that every Indian citizen needs to be empowered. Financial inclusion can happen only when all have bank accounts. The Remonetise India Sahayata Camps are our effort in this direction."
Pannu said, “The sudden decision by the government totally shook the nation and when Times approached me to be a part of this initiative I readily agreed, because I myself am a software engineer and going digital is the need of the hour. Remonetise India is such a novel concept by Times as normally you come across people only condemning the current scenario, but nobody taking a step to help overcome this situation."
As part of the initiative, the network first organized a telethon that invited speakers, opinion leaders and policy makers across all network channels to understand the way forward after demonetisation. Further Go Cashless bike rallies were organized to spread awareness about the need to go digital and save cash for those in rural areas who are cash dependent and don’t have an access to digital facilities. The entire campaign has received tremendous support from famous Bollywood celebrities, CEOs, political leaders as well as the common man, making this nationwide initiative a great success.
