VIJAYAWADA: The State government is encouraging cashless transaction in a big way. However, going cashless for LPG in the State is not that easy as the gas agencies in the State have only 820 Point of Sale (PoS) machines.
Of the total 820 PoS units, only a few are being used now, that too when the customer demands card payment. It has become a Herculean task for over hundreds of gas agencies in the State to promote digital payment post-demonetisation.
Three major oil companies in the State are finding it difficult to conduct cashless transactions due to lack of swiping machines. Though the State government has placed an order to procure M-PoS machines, majority of the gas agencies availed e-PoS units which have been installed at agency offices.
The customers who wanted to go for cashless transaction after the delivery of gas cylinder are left with no option but to pay in cash. The gas dealers claim that banks are not providing a large number of PoS machines. “I have asked the gas delivery person whether they are carrying PoS machines for card payment. He said they don’t have any such device and they are only available at the agency office. So I paid in cash,” said B Mohan, a Vijayawada resident.
Speaking to Express, S Satyanarayana, a gas dealer in Vijayawada, said that the gas delivery boys need to be trained to use the M-PoS units. “We have placed sufficient number of PoS machines at our agencies. If the customer insists on cashless payment, we will send one of our person with a PoS unit. The customers can also pay online by logging in to the gas agency’s website at the time of booking of gas or they can visit the gas agency and swipe card at the agency office,” he said.