The Evening Wrap: Union Cabinet clears ₹2,600 crore outlay for digital payments

The Union Cabinet approved an outlay of ₹2,600 crore to promote payments using RuPay cards and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav announced on Wednesday. Banks will be provided this incentive money to promote such digital payments, the Cabinet said in a press release. The fund will be paid to banks in view of the lack of a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) — a commission on digital transactions — for UPI and RuPay transactions. This regime has led to complaints from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and banks, the Cabinet said, which have been worried about the sustainability of building digital payments infrastructure in the absence of payments needed to scale and maintain them. The scheme will also promote UPI Lite and UPI 123PAY as economical and user-friendly digital payments solutions and enable further deepening of digital payments in the country,” the Cabinet said, referring to payment systems recently introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India to reduce the load on banking networks for small transactions, and to allow payments over older feature phones, respectively. As a result of a previous incentive scheme for digital payments in the last financial year, the Cabinet said, “total digital payments transactions have registered a year-on-year growth of 59%, rising from [₹]5,554 crore in FY2020-21 to [₹]8,840 crore in FY2021-22.” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had earlier committed continued financial support for digital payments systems, and the Cabinet said that this new scheme is in line with that commitment. Supreme Court to hear plea against Bihar caste census on January 20 The Supreme Court on January 11 agreed to list a petition challenging the Bihar caste census next Friday. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud heard a mentioning for urgent hearing of the petition and said it would come up on January 20. The lawyer argued that caste survey came under the Central List of the Constitution and a State did not have the authority to do it. “These are questions on merits… let the case come up next Friday,” the CJI said. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav had termed the caste census a “historic step” to identify the most backward sections of the society through collection of scientific data and ensure that welfare measures reach them. The first phase of the survey began on January 7, 2023, and would continue till January 21. The second phase is from April. The Bihar Cabinet had decided to conduct the survey on June 2, last year. Officials estimate the census would cover over 12 crore and more than 2.5 crore households across the State. The survey is likely to be over by May 21. Air India midair urination case: Delhi Police challenges order denying Shankar Mishra’s custody The Delhi Police on January 11 challenged a magisterial court’s order of January 7 denying the custody of Shankar Mishra, accused of urinating on a woman co-passenger in an Air India flight. A sessions court is likely to take up the matter later in the day. The fact was mentioned by the police before a Metropolitan Magistrate during the bail application of the accused. Another magisterial court had sent Mishra to 14-day judicial remand on Saturday, denying police his custody. Meanwhile, a Delhi court reserved its order on the bail application of Mishra. Metropolitan Magistrate Komal Garg reserved the order on the plea, which said the act was not driven by sexual desire and that it was not aimed at outraging the complainant’s modesty. Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Trial will take at least five years to complete, says Sessions Judge report to SC The trial in Lakhimpur Kheri killings will take at least five years to complete, the Sessions Judge hearing the case has told the Supreme Court. A Bench led by Justice Surya Kant, on January 11, passed on the information to senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for accused Ashish Mishra, and advocate Prashant Bhushan. Mishra, the son of a Union Minister, is accused of ordering his driver to mow down farmers participating in a rally at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh against the controversial agricultural laws in October 2021. He has sought bail, saying he cannot be kept in custody throughout the entire period of the trial. Bhushan represents the families of the victims run over by the SUV convoy. The senior lawyer has argued that Mishra has so far used his power and influence to brutally attack witnesses in order to silence them. His release on bail would deny the case a fair trial. The victims would not get justice. Uttar Pradesh government has denied the attacks, but Bhushan said the State was hand-in-glove with the Minister’s son, an allegation buttressed by the fact that the Supreme Court had formed its own Special Investigation Team to probe the case. On December 12, 2022 the Bench had directed the Sessions Judge to file a report giving an approximate time needed to complete the trial. “The Sessions Judge’s report says it will take at least five years. There are 200 witnesses, 171 documents, 27 forensic science lab reports,” Justice Kant said in court. The Bench said both FIRs separately registered in the Lakhimpuri Kheri incident would be tried by the same court and the same presiding judge. Bhushan suggested the examination of material witnesses on a day-to-day basis, saying there was a clear and present danger against them. But the Bench pointed out that a day-to-day trial would come at the cost of all other cases pending in that trial court. “But this is a case that needs day-to-day trial… It concerns allegations against a Minister’s son that he deliberately ordered his driver to drive over the farmers,” Bhushan urged. The hearing was adjourned to January 19. The court has asked for details of four accused in FIR 220/2021, which concerns the alleged lynching of two BJP workers and the SUV driver. Congress invites 21 like-minded parties to join concluding function of Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has invited leaders of 21 like-minded parties to join the concluding function of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar on January 30, saying their presence would strengthen the yatra’s message of truth, compassion and non-violence. In a letter to the presidents of the parties, he said from the beginning of the yatra, the Congress has sought the participation of every like-minded party and on the invitation of Rahul Gandhi, MPs of several political parties have joined it at different stages. “I now invite you to personally join the concluding function of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to be held in Srinagar on January 30 at noon. The function is dedicated to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, who lost his life on this day in his tireless struggle against the ideology of hatred and violence,” Kharge wrote. “At this event, we will commit ourselves to fighting hatred and violence, to spread the message of truth, compassion and non-violence, and to defend the constitutional values of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all. At this time of crisis for our country, where public attention is systematically diverted from people’s issues, the yatra has emerged as a powerful voice. I hope you will participate and further strengthen its message,” he said. The yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, will conclude in Srinagar on January 30, with Rahul Gandhi hoisting the national flag there. The march has so far covered more than 3,300 km passing through Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Kharge said, “Today, India faces an economic, social and political crisis. At this time, when the Opposition’s voice is being suppressed in the Parliament and the media, the Yatra is connecting directly with lakhs of people… We have discussed the grave issues affecting our nation… inflation, unemployment, social divisions, weakening of democratic institutions and the threat on our borders. All sections of society have also participated and shared their problems – the youth, women and elderly, farmers, labourers, small businessmen and industrialists; Dalits, Adivasis, and linguistic and religious minorities; activists, artists and spiritual leaders. This direct conversation with the people has been a major achievement of the Yatra,” the Congress chief said. Flights across U.S. grounded after Federal Aviation Administration system failure A U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) system outage is leading to delays at airports across the country due to ‘ground stops’, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport said on January 11. A ground stop is an air traffic control measure that slows or halts aircraft at a given airport. The FAA said that it was working to restore a system that alerts pilots to hazards and changes to airport facilities and procedures that had stopped processing updated information. “We are performing final validation checks and reloading the system now,” the FAA said. “Operations across the National Airspace System are affected.” “The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions [NOTAM] system following an outage. While some functions are beginning to come back online, National Airspace System operations remain limited,” it said on Twitter. At 7:30 a.m. Eastern, there were more than 1,200 delayed flights within, into or out of the United States, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. More than 100 have been cancelled. Most delays were concentrated along the East Coast, but were beginning to spread west. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a tweet that he is in touch with the FAA and monitoring the situation. United Airlines said that it had temporarily delayed all domestic flights and would issue an update once it learned more from the FAA. “Arriving and departing passengers can expect delays this morning and throughout the day,” Austin-Bergstrom International Airport said on Twitter. European flights into the U.S. appeared to be largely unaffected. Irish carrier Aer Lingus said services to the U.S. continue, and Dublin Airport’s website showed that its flights to Newark, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles were running on schedule. A NOTAM is a notice containing information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations, but not known far enough in advance to be publicised by other means. Information can go up to 200 pages for long-haul international flights and may include items such as runway closures, bird hazard warnings and construction obstacles. The FAA said that it would provide frequent updates as it made progress. Golden Globes 2023: ‘RRR’ wins Best Original Song for ‘Naatu Naatu’ SS Rajamouli’s RRR has created history becoming the first Indian film to win a Golden Globe. RRR won for Best Original song at the ongoing ceremony for Naatu Naatu. The song is composed by music director MM Keeravaani, and sung by Kala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj, with lyrics by Chandrabose. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team over Twitter, calling it a “very special accomplishment”. Chiranjeevi, whose son Ram Charan played the lead role alongside Jr NTR in ‘RRR’, described the global recognition of the film as a ‘historic achievement.’ “What a Phenomenal, Historic Achievement!!!! Golden Globes Best Original Song - Motion Picture Award to @mmkeeravaani garu!! Take a Bow,” he tweeted. “Heartiest Congratulations Team @RRRMovie & @ssrajamouli!! India is proud of you!,” Chiranjeevi said. Top Telugu star Nagarjuna also congratulated Keeravani and his team for the feat. “Congratulations to @mmkeeravaani garu and his team on winning the #GoldenGlobes2023 for #NatuNatu song in #RRR on the way to the oscars now,” Nagarjuna said on Twitter. The original song nominees were “Carolina,” from “Where the Crawdads Sing,” music by Taylor Swift; “Ciao Papa,” from “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” music by Alexandre Desplat; “Hold My Hand,” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” music by Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice” and “Lift Me Up,” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson. Drawing inspiration from the lives of freedom fighters Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju, RRR narrates a fictional tale set in the 1920s. The film boasts an ensemble cast, starring the likes of Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Samuthirakani, Alison Doody, and Ray Stevenson. RRR is also nominated for Best Picture non-English language category. In Brief: A knife attacker wounded six people in an unprovoked attack in Paris’ busy Gare du Nord train station Wednesday morning before being shot by police, the French interior minister said. The man had attacked several people, including a police officer, with a “bladed weapon” at around 6:43 a.m., Gerald Darmanin told reporters at the scene. He said the unnamed assailant was currently “between life and death” in a hospital. Several passengers and a border police officer were among the wounded, according to officials. The officer was stabbed in the back by the assailant, but was saved by a bulletproof vest, Darmanin said. Another one of the other victims was seriously injured in the shoulder blade and taken for emergency treatment. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 11 JANUARY 2023 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Union Cabinet clears ₹2,600 crore outlay for digital payments The [Union Cabinet approved an outlay of ₹2,600 crore to promote payments using RuPay cards and the Unified Payments Interface]( (UPI), Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav announced on Wednesday. Banks will be provided this incentive money to promote such digital payments, the Cabinet said in a press release. The fund will be paid to banks in view of the lack of a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) — a commission on digital transactions — for UPI and RuPay transactions. This regime has led to complaints from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and banks, the Cabinet said, which have been worried about the sustainability of building digital payments infrastructure in the absence of payments needed to scale and maintain them. The scheme will also promote UPI Lite and UPI 123PAY as economical and user-friendly digital payments solutions and enable further deepening of digital payments in the country,” the Cabinet said, referring to payment systems recently introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India to reduce the load on banking networks for small transactions, and to allow payments over older feature phones, respectively. As a result of a previous incentive scheme for digital payments in the last financial year, the Cabinet said, “total digital payments transactions have registered a year-on-year growth of 59%, rising from [₹]5,554 crore in FY2020-21 to [₹]8,840 crore in FY2021-22.” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had earlier committed continued financial support for digital payments systems, and the Cabinet said that this new scheme is in line with that commitment. Supreme Court to hear plea against Bihar caste census on January 20 The [Supreme Court on January 11 agreed to list a petition challenging the Bihar caste census]( next Friday. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud heard a mentioning for urgent hearing of the petition and said it would come up on January 20. The lawyer argued that caste survey came under the Central List of the Constitution and a State did not have the authority to do it. “These are questions on merits… let the case come up next Friday,” the CJI said. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav had termed the caste census a “historic step” to identify the most backward sections of the society through collection of scientific data and ensure that welfare measures reach them. The first phase of the survey began on January 7, 2023, and would continue till January 21. The second phase is from April. The Bihar Cabinet had decided to conduct the survey on June 2, last year. Officials estimate the census would cover over 12 crore and more than 2.5 crore households across the State. The survey is likely to be over by May 21. Air India midair urination case: Delhi Police challenges order denying Shankar Mishra’s custody The [Delhi Police on January 11 challenged a magisterial court’s order of January 7 denying the custody of Shankar Mishra, accused of urinating on a woman co-passenger in an Air India flight](. A sessions court is likely to take up the matter later in the day. The fact was mentioned by the police before a Metropolitan Magistrate during the bail application of the accused. Another magisterial court had sent Mishra to 14-day judicial remand on Saturday, denying police his custody. Meanwhile, a Delhi court reserved its order on the bail application of Mishra. Metropolitan Magistrate Komal Garg reserved the order on the plea, which said the act was not driven by sexual desire and that it was not aimed at outraging the complainant’s modesty. Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Trial will take at least five years to complete, says Sessions Judge report to SC The [trial in Lakhimpur Kheri killings will take at least five years to complete]( the Sessions Judge hearing the case has told the Supreme Court. A Bench led by Justice Surya Kant, on January 11, passed on the information to senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for accused Ashish Mishra, and advocate Prashant Bhushan. Mishra, the son of a Union Minister, is accused of ordering his driver to mow down farmers participating in a rally at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh against the controversial agricultural laws in October 2021. He has sought bail, saying he cannot be kept in custody throughout the entire period of the trial. Bhushan represents the families of the victims run over by the SUV convoy. The senior lawyer has argued that Mishra has so far used his power and influence to brutally attack witnesses in order to silence them. His release on bail would deny the case a fair trial. The victims would not get justice. Uttar Pradesh government has denied the attacks, but Bhushan said the State was hand-in-glove with the Minister’s son, an allegation buttressed by the fact that the Supreme Court had formed its own Special Investigation Team to probe the case. On December 12, 2022 the Bench had directed the Sessions Judge to file a report giving an approximate time needed to complete the trial. “The Sessions Judge’s report says it will take at least five years. There are 200 witnesses, 171 documents, 27 forensic science lab reports,” Justice Kant said in court. The Bench said both FIRs separately registered in the Lakhimpuri Kheri incident would be tried by the same court and the same presiding judge. Bhushan suggested the examination of material witnesses on a day-to-day basis, saying there was a clear and present danger against them. But the Bench pointed out that a day-to-day trial would come at the cost of all other cases pending in that trial court. “But this is a case that needs day-to-day trial… It concerns allegations against a Minister’s son that he deliberately ordered his driver to drive over the farmers,” Bhushan urged. The hearing was adjourned to January 19. The court has asked for details of four accused in FIR 220/2021, which concerns the alleged lynching of two BJP workers and the SUV driver. Congress invites 21 like-minded parties to join concluding function of Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar Congress president [Mallikarjun Kharge has invited leaders of 21 like-minded parties to join the concluding function of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Srinagar]( on January 30, saying their presence would strengthen the yatra’s message of truth, compassion and non-violence. In a letter to the presidents of the parties, he said from the beginning of the yatra, the Congress has sought the participation of every like-minded party and on the invitation of Rahul Gandhi, MPs of several political parties have joined it at different stages. “I now invite you to personally join the concluding function of the Bharat Jodo Yatra to be held in Srinagar on January 30 at noon. The function is dedicated to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, who lost his life on this day in his tireless struggle against the ideology of hatred and violence,” Kharge wrote. “At this event, we will commit ourselves to fighting hatred and violence, to spread the message of truth, compassion and non-violence, and to defend the constitutional values of liberty, equality, fraternity and justice for all. At this time of crisis for our country, where public attention is systematically diverted from people’s issues, the yatra has emerged as a powerful voice. I hope you will participate and further strengthen its message,” he said. The yatra, which started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7, will conclude in Srinagar on January 30, with Rahul Gandhi hoisting the national flag there. The march has so far covered more than 3,300 km passing through Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Kharge said, “Today, India faces an economic, social and political crisis. At this time, when the Opposition’s voice is being suppressed in the Parliament and the media, the Yatra is connecting directly with lakhs of people… We have discussed the grave issues affecting our nation… inflation, unemployment, social divisions, weakening of democratic institutions and the threat on our borders. All sections of society have also participated and shared their problems – the youth, women and elderly, farmers, labourers, small businessmen and industrialists; Dalits, Adivasis, and linguistic and religious minorities; activists, artists and spiritual leaders. This direct conversation with the people has been a major achievement of the Yatra,” the Congress chief said. Flights across U.S. grounded after Federal Aviation Administration system failure A U.S. [Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) system outage is leading to delays at airports across the country]( due to ‘ground stops’, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport said on January 11. A ground stop is an air traffic control measure that slows or halts aircraft at a given airport. The FAA said that it was working to restore a system that alerts pilots to hazards and changes to airport facilities and procedures that had stopped processing updated information. “We are performing final validation checks and reloading the system now,” the FAA said. “Operations across the National Airspace System are affected.” “The FAA is still working to fully restore the Notice to Air Missions [NOTAM] system following an outage. While some functions are beginning to come back online, National Airspace System operations remain limited,” it said on Twitter. At 7:30 a.m. Eastern, there were more than 1,200 delayed flights within, into or out of the United States, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. More than 100 have been cancelled. Most delays were concentrated along the East Coast, but were beginning to spread west. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a tweet that he is in touch with the FAA and monitoring the situation. United Airlines said that it had temporarily delayed all domestic flights and would issue an update once it learned more from the FAA. “Arriving and departing passengers can expect delays this morning and throughout the day,” Austin-Bergstrom International Airport said on Twitter. European flights into the U.S. appeared to be largely unaffected. Irish carrier Aer Lingus said services to the U.S. continue, and Dublin Airport’s website showed that its flights to Newark, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles were running on schedule. A NOTAM is a notice containing information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations, but not known far enough in advance to be publicised by other means. Information can go up to 200 pages for long-haul international flights and may include items such as runway closures, bird hazard warnings and construction obstacles. The FAA said that it would provide frequent updates as it made progress. Golden Globes 2023: ‘RRR’ wins Best Original Song for ‘Naatu Naatu’ SS Rajamouli’s [RRR has created history becoming the first Indian film to win a Golden Globe](. RRR won for Best Original song at the ongoing ceremony for Naatu Naatu. The song is composed by music director MM Keeravaani, and sung by Kala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj, with lyrics by Chandrabose. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team over Twitter, calling it a “very special accomplishment”. Chiranjeevi, whose son Ram Charan played the lead role alongside Jr NTR in ‘RRR’, described the global recognition of the film as a ‘historic achievement.’ “What a Phenomenal, Historic Achievement!!!! Golden Globes Best Original Song - Motion Picture Award to @mmkeeravaani garu !! Take a Bow,” he tweeted. “Heartiest Congratulations Team @RRRMovie & @ssrajamouli !! India is proud of you!,” Chiranjeevi said. Top Telugu star Nagarjuna also congratulated Keeravani and his team for the feat. “Congratulations to @mmkeeravaani garu and his team on winning the #GoldenGlobes2023 for #NatuNatu song in #RRR on the way to the oscars now,” Nagarjuna said on Twitter. The original song nominees were “Carolina,” from “Where the Crawdads Sing,” music by Taylor Swift; “Ciao Papa,” from “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” music by Alexandre Desplat; “Hold My Hand,” from “Top Gun: Maverick,” music by Lady Gaga, BloodPop, Benjamin Rice” and “Lift Me Up,” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson. Drawing inspiration from the lives of freedom fighters Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju, RRR narrates a fictional tale set in the 1920s. The film boasts an ensemble cast, starring the likes of Jr NTR, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Samuthirakani, Alison Doody, and Ray Stevenson. RRR is also nominated for Best Picture non-English language category. In Brief: A [knife attacker wounded six people in an unprovoked attack in Paris’ busy Gare du Nord train station]( Wednesday morning before being shot by police, the French interior minister said. The man had attacked several people, including a police officer, with a “bladed weapon” at around 6:43 a.m., Gerald Darmanin told reporters at the scene. He said the unnamed assailant was currently “between life and death” in a hospital. Several passengers and a border police officer were among the wounded, according to officials. The officer was stabbed in the back by the assailant, but was saved by a bulletproof vest, Darmanin said. Another one of the other victims was seriously injured in the shoulder blade and taken for emergency treatment. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. First Day First Show Stay up-to-date on all things cinema with the "First Day First Show" cinema & entertainment newsletter. Every week, we bring you movie reviews, news from regional cinema, Bollywood, Hollywood, and beyond, as well as updates from the streaming platforms. Whether you're a cinephile or just looking for your next great binge-watch, we've got you covered. 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