PayNearby Pragati (progress) Podcast

From India’s largest hyperlocal finserve network, PayNearby [https://paynearby.in/], comes a category-first initiative of a Podcast series, and this is its first episode, in Hindi, featuring its MD & CEO Anand Kumar Bajaj. This new podcast initiative has been launched under the aegis of the PayNearby Pragati Series,which includes Podcasts, Webinars and Fireside Chats as a mix of collaborative initiatives to support a self-sufficient, Atmanirbhar Bharat. In episode 1 of the PayNearby Pragati (progress) Podcast,  Anand Kumar Bajaj addresses the more than 10,00,000 small-store shopkeepers that are part of the PayNearby hyperlocal finserve network and their 12 crore  (120 million) customers, plus others, across India. He speaks of how PayNearby has empowered its  member shopkeepers to provide their customers Assisted Digital Financial Services like Aadhaar ATM, SMS Payment, Khata Service, Utility Payment, Prepaid Cards, Mutual Funds & Insurance, Money Transfer, Hyperlocal Services and payment services like Bharat QR and UPI using the PayNearby App. Bajaj speaks of forthcoming plans and objectives, and also informs shopkeepers how easily they can join the PayNearby network and start offering all these services to their customers. Bajaj says going ahead, PayNearby aims to increase five-fold to 5 million, the number of retailer-partner shops it will empower across Tier I, II and rural towns in India. PayNearby is a DIPP-certified FinTech startup, partnering with various financial institutions including YES Bank, RBL Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Axis Bank, CC Avenue, Bill Desk, NPCI, FASTag, NBFC and FMCG companies. It is the sole technology provider using Aadhaar Enabled Payment Services (AEPS) and IMPS to YES Bank, making them one of the only two fintech companies hosted by the National Payments Corporation of India (NCPI). Today, more than 10,00,000 retailers use the PayNearby platform to service close to 12 crore Indians on a wide range of products and services. The success of the model lies not only in the 10 lakh plus transactions that it clocks daily or the monthly GTV of ~4500 crores plus, but in the social reach of the platform across 17,200 PIN codes in the country, helping uplift both the retail community and consumers in those areas, thereby helping access to the Government’s DBT disbursements in an easy manner. PayNearby aims to foray into international markets and is actively evaluating Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and South Asia markets for future expansion. The level of digitization in this region is similar and very high, alongside, the state of banking which remains similarly low. From over 10,00,000 retailers as of now to 50,00,000 retailers in the very near future, PayNearby has set itself aggressive goals to ramp up and be the port of call for assisted hyperlocal services in the county. All this and more, to help PayNearby achieve its single-point ambition -- to contribute to help Bharat evolve from a Krishi-Pradhaan (Agriculture-driven) to a Digital-Pradhaan Nation. PayNearby’s Pragati Podcast  will feature episodes in multiple languages, touching upon various themes driven by PayNearby's commitment to supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat, and inspiring kirana stores and the people of India to become ever more digitally enabled and empowered.