India’s rural and semi-urban areas continue to face significant underpenetration of financial services, primarily due to limited awareness of digital technology and financial inclusion. MD and CEO of PayNearby, Anand Kumar Bajaj, highlights the challenges faced by these regions, including lack of infrastructure, unreliable internet connectivity, and absence of physical branches. He emphasizes the need for assisted digital banking to enhance accessibility for underserved populations.
The third season of the critically acclaimed web series ‘Panchayat’ has officially hit Amazon Prime, captivating viewers with its relatable characters, heartfelt narratives, and stunning cinematography. With each episode effortlessly capturing the essence of rural India, ‘Panchayat’ has once again proven why it stands out as one of the finest examples of Indian web series. The stellar ensemble cast, including Neena Gupta, Jitendra Kumar, and Raghubir Yadav, delivers exceptional performances that bring the characters to life.
The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched in 2019, aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all rural homes by 2024. While progress has been made, challenges remain in ensuring the functionality and sustainability of these connections. While 76.6% of households have tap connections, only 62% meet all the criteria for functionality. Groundwater contamination and depletion are also concerns, with 42.5% of habitations across India lacking safe drinking water as of February 2023. To address these challenges, experts suggest shifting to surface water sources and implementing more comprehensive monitoring and measurement systems.
