Demonetisation: Indian govt unveils thumb-impression digital payment app for poor

To encourage digital transactions and make them more convenient, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an Aadhar-based mobile payment application.

Under this, payments can be made by just a thumb impression once the bank account is linked with Aadhar gateway.

The new app, named BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) after the main architect of Indian constitution Bhim Rao Ambedkar, will help seam the illiterate people to get into the cashless world effortlessly.

"One only needs a thumb. There was a time when an illiterate was called 'angutha chhaap'. But your thumb is your bank now," Modi said.

Speaking at DigiDhan Mela in India's capital New Delhi -- an event organised to celebrate the success of digital currency push -- Modi used humour to lash out at his political opponents for criticising demonetisation saying the drive was aimed at catching the "mouse" that eats away the nation's wealth.

BHIM can now be downloaded by Android users, and will be up in the iOS system too, NDTV reported.

Though he did not name anyone, his comments were directed towards opposition parties, which have been criticising the demonetisation move for yielding minuscule results in unearthing black money.

(WION with inputs from PTI)