A 40-year-old Bihar man who asks for alms at Bettiah Railway Station gives people options to pay him via digital mode with a QR code placard around his neck and a digital tablet.
Raju Patel, the digital beggar, who calls himself a follower of the former state chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and attended his programs, is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India Campaign.
The digital beggar said that he never forgets to listen to PM Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme.
Speaking to ANI, Raju Patel said, "I accept digital payments, and it's enough to get the work done and fill my stomach. I have been begging here since my childhood but I have changed the way of begging in this digital age."
"After begging, I sleep at the station itself. I could not find any other way of livelihood. Many times, people refused to give alms saying that they did not have cash in smaller denominations. Many travellers said that in the era of e-wallets like pay-phones etc., there is no need to carry cash anymore. Due to this, I opened a bank account, and an e-wallet," he added.
Patel who carries the e-wallet for begging said that most of the people still give alms in cash. However, some people also transfer money to his e-wallet.
He informed that the bank wanted his Aadhaar and PAN card for opening the bank account, so he got himself a PAN made as well to set the ball rolling.
Consequently, Patel opened an account in the main branch of the State Bank of India in Bettiah and got an e-wallet made. Currently, he begs digitally around Bettiah railway station.
( With inputs from ANI )
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