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Time of India
an hour ago
- Business
- Time of India
73% MSMEs report business growth via digital adoption, led by UPI and smartphones: Survey
MUMBAI: The third edition of the MSME Digital Index Report, released on Saturday by PayNearby , a branchless banking and digital network, reveals that over 73% of small businesses across semi-urban and rural India have seen increased income or improved operational efficiency as a result of adopting digital tools. With smartphones becoming the dominant mode of business management and UPI emerging as the most preferred transaction method, the findings indicate a deeper, more confident shift towards digital enablement at the last mile. The third edition of the MSME Digital Index 2025 showcases digital consumption, tech awareness, behavioural patterns, and business transformation among micro-entrepreneurs, with a focus on gender representation. The insights were gathered through a nationwide survey conducted among 10,000 individuals and MSMEs in retail-focused segments such as kirana stores, mobile recharge outlets, medical shops, customer service points (CSPs), and travel agencies. Smartphone usage remains central to their operations, with 71% of respondents citing it as their primary business device. Among women entrepreneurs, this number is significantly higher at 84%, indicating rising comfort with mobile-led infrastructure in driving customer engagement. Daily internet usage continues to rise, with 69% respondents consuming between 2GB to 5GB of data, largely supported by mobile hotspots, with 86% spending around ₹500–₹1,000 per month on internet usage. Digital payments continue to gain strong acceptance among MSMEs, with UPI emerging as the most preferred mode of transaction at 48%, followed by Aadhaar-enabled banking at 39%. Among women entrepreneurs, Aadhaar banking saw even higher preference at 42%, reflecting increasing trust in secure, tech-enabled services such as fingerprint and face authentication. These channels offer transaction efficiency and payment convenience, while also helping them build digital credibility for improved access to formal credit in the future. The impact of going digital is becoming more tangible for small businesses. Of those reporting benefits from digital adoption, 33% cited improved operational efficiency. These insights point to a growing realisation among MSMEs that digital tools are not just convenient but critical for scaling businesses sustainably in a competitive market. Live Events As digital tools become more embedded in daily business, the role of language and ease of use becomes increasingly important. 56% of respondents prefer English for understanding and navigating platforms, followed by Hindi at 25%. Among women entrepreneurs, 38% expressed a preference for vernacular interfaces, highlighting the continued need for regionally localised, intuitive tech platforms that better reflect how Bharat operates. A small but notable 7% of respondents have begun exploring automated or AI-powered tools, including inventory apps, automated billing systems, and customer engagement platforms, mostly through third-party solutions. This emerging trend is reflected in the growing use of structured digital workflows such as transaction reports, WhatsApp-based follow-ups, and service-wise earnings tracking. It marks a shift toward more efficient, process-driven ways of working. These early signals point to rising curiosity and readiness among small businesses to explore advanced tools, as solutions become simpler to understand and use. A growing number of respondents, both men and women, are actively building their skills to use these tools more effectively. Around 26% of respondents reported attending some form of training, whether through local community programs, online tutorials, or partner-led workshops. This reflects a shift from passive adoption to active learning, with small businesses showing increasing interest in building digital skills for long-term success. Among women respondents, 79% reported that digital adoption had a measurable positive impact on their business performance. Nearly half said that access to digital services enabled them to contribute more actively to household finances, make independent decisions, or expand their customer base. Beyond financial gains, many also cited improved confidence in managing their businesses digitally, marking an early but important shift in long-term behavioural and social change. The use of business software among MSMEs continues to evolve. Accounting tools are now used by 30% of respondents, followed by 18% using point-of-sale (POS) systems and 13% adopting customer relationship management (CRM) platforms. POS usage among women respondents has shown a notable increase, with 22% reporting adoption. YouTube continues to be the most preferred entertainment platform, with 70% of respondents using it during leisure hours. Beyond entertainment, it is also widely accessed for learning, how-to videos, and brand-related content. WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business remain the most commonly used communication tools for business purposes across both male and female respondents, supporting activities such as product promotions, customer engagement, and order coordination. While the social and entertainment app landscape continues to evolve, the choice of platforms increasingly reflects business intent. Anand Kumar Bajaj, Founder, MD & CEO, PayNearby, said in a statement, 'The MSME sector is the backbone of Bharat's economy, and the rapid adoption of digital tools such as smartphones, UPI, Aadhaar-enabled banking, and emerging AI workflows is proof that this segment is embracing modernisation. What stands out is not just usage, but growing digital confidence across the country. That confidence is enabling entrepreneurs to operate more efficiently and tap into formal financial systems with ease and transparency.' Jayatri Dasgupta, CMO, PayNearby and Program Director, Digital Naari, said in a statement, 'This year's report highlights the growing participation of women in the digital economy, particularly across financial services and customer engagement. As more women take on entrepreneurial roles, it becomes essential to design solutions that are localised, easy to use, and built for convenience. Their engagement is creating tangible outcomes not just for their businesses but for their communities, accelerating change where it is needed most.' She added that women respondents, who accounted for 34% of this year's sample, are demonstrating greater confidence in managing their business digitally.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- General
- Indian Express
RRB Technician 2025 Application: Registration begins at rrbapply.gov.in for over 6,000 posts
The Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) today, June 28, started the application for its technician recruitment drive for the 2025 cycle. The last date to register online for the RRB Technician 2025 posts is July 28. The last Date for Application fee payment for the submitted applications is July 30. Candidates will also get the chance to modify applications between August 1 and 10. As part of this recruitment process, as many as 6,238 posts will be filled. Interested applicants can register at to be recruited as Technician Grade-I Signal and in various categories of Technician Grade-III posts. Although the central application portal for application to RRB Technician posts is each RRB also has its regional website where zone-specific information is updated. Applicants will have to upload and submit the following documents during online registration: – Scanned copy of recent passport-sized photograph and signature – Valid ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, Passport, etc.) – Educational qualification certificates – Caste or category certificate, if applicable – Domicile certificate, if mentioned in the notification Candidates must visit the official recruitment portal and complete the application form digitally. There is no provision for offline submission, so candidates are advised not to send any physical documents via post. 'Candidates who have already created an account for any CEN issued by RRB in 2024 are not required to register again. They should login using the same username and password,' a statement on the website said. Step 1: Go to the official RRB website Step 2: Navigate to the 'CEN No. 02/2025 – Technician Recruitment 2025' section on the homepage Step 3: Click on the 'Apply Online' link, available Step 4: Register by providing your basic details (name, email, mobile number) to generate login credentials Step 5: Log in and fill out the application form with your personal, educational, and bank details (for fee refund) Step 6: Upload scanned copies of your photograph, signature, and required documents as per the notification Step 7: Pay the application fee (General/OBC/EWS: Rs 500; SC/ST/PH/Female: Rs 250) online Step 8: Submit the form and download the confirmation page According to the RRB Technician eligibility, as of July 1, 2025, for Technician Grade I Signal, candidates should be between 18 and 33 years of age, while for Technician Grade III, candidates will have to be between 18 and 30 years.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Assam to issue Aadhaar Cards for adults only through District Commissioners: CM Sarma
To ensure that no illegal immigrant obtains an Aadhaar card, the Assam government has decided to implement a rule where Aadhaar cards for adults will only be issued by the District Commissioners (DCs), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Friday. The move comes as part of the government's ongoing efforts to tighten security and prevent illegal infiltration in the state. CM Sarma made the announcement following a state cabinet meeting that discussed the new measures. He further said that the decision to tighten Aadhaar issuance rules would aid the state government's efforts to safeguard its demographic profile. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like You will never turn off your computer again. Undo "Last night, we pushed back 20 more Bangladeshis as part of our ongoing efforts to detect and push back illegal infiltrators. Very soon, we will implement a decision where Aadhaar cards for adult citizens will be issued only by DCs. This will ensure that no illegal immigrant can get an Aadhaar made and we can track and push them back easily," Himanta Biswa Sarma said. "We will make a decision on it in the next cabinet meeting," the Assam Chief Minister added. Live Events The Assam Cabinet, chaired by CM Sarma, also approved the allotment of government land for 942 infrastructure projects across urban areas in 11 districts under Mission Basundhara 3.0 . "The state cabinet also approved the allotment of government land to be followed by settlement in favour of 1,977 non-government educational, religious, and socio-cultural institutions across 12 districts under Mission Basundhara 3.0. The state cabinet has approved the amendment of certain provisions of the Assam Panchayat (Constitution) Rules,1995," CM Sarma said. "It is proposed that the reservation of the offices of President/Vice President of Zilla Parishad for SC, ST and women shall be done by way of lottery and rotation after excluding the Zilla Parishad in which the office of the President/Vice President has already been reserved for SC and ST by way of lottery and rotation. The process of the lottery shall be conducted in a public and open manner, in the presence of representatives from political parties, administrative officials, and all concerned stakeholders. This will bring equitable opportunity for all the Zilla Parishad Constituencies having Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes representation," he added. The State Cabinet also approved the Moran Autonomous Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, to amend the Preamble and key provisions of the Moran Autonomous Council Act, 2020, for effective governance and uplift of the Moran community. The State Cabinet approved the Matak Autonomous Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, to amend the Matak Autonomous Council Act, 2020, for the development of the Matak community.
India Gazette
4 hours ago
- India Gazette
Tripura: Two Bangladeshi nationals, tout held for illegal entry in Agartala
Agartala (Tripura) [India], June 28 (ANI): Two Bangladeshi nationals were detained in Agartala during routine patrolling for illegally entering India through the state borders, police said. The two accused, identified as Aklima Akhtar and Ruma Sheikh. Police also mentioned that a tout has also been arrested, who has been identified as Krishna Deb Nath. 'During the routine patrolling, we have detained 2 Bangladeshi nationals who have illegally entered India. We have also arrested one of the touts, Krishna Dev Nath, who has helped them. The two women who have been detained are Aklima Akhtar and Ruma Sheikh... We have received intelligence reports indicating that more people have entered the country illegally, and we are conducting a search operation to apprehend them. Those who are detained will be sent to the Court for police remand,' Officer-in-Charge, East Agartala PS, Rana Chatterjee told ANI. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra on Wednesday, three Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended in a joint operation of the Military Intelligence unit of the Southern Command of the Indian Army and the MIDC Police Station in Ahilyanagar. The Bangladeshi nationals were illegally residing and working in the region for the past two years using forged Indian documents. Acting on specific intelligence provided by the Military Intelligence unit of Southern Command, authorities raided a construction site at Mouli Crusher in Pokhardi, under the jurisdiction of MIDC Police Station, and detained the three individuals. The immigrants had been working as labourers and had assumed false Indian identities with fake Aadhaar and PAN cards. According to officials, the trio had been living in Ahilyanagar for two years and had blended into the local population using forged identification to evade detection. Their questioning is currently underway to determine if they have any links to anti-national elements (ANEs) or broader illegal immigration networks. A senior officer from the investigation team said, 'We suspect more such illegal immigrants may be residing in various parts of Ahilyanagar and across Maharashtra. This operation could lead to wider revelations as the inquiry progresses, further investigations are underway'. On the same day, in a successful joint operation, the Southern Command Military Intelligence Unit and Kondhwa Police Station of Pune City Police apprehended four illegal immigrants from Bangladesh residing in a labour camp near Punyadham Ashram Road, Notting Hill Society, Pune. (ANI)
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Assam mulls giving District Commissioners power to approve Aadhaar for applicants over 18
Assam is considering a policy that would give District Commissioners the power to approve or reject Aadhaar applications from individuals over 18, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said following a state Cabinet meeting on Friday. 'We are pushing 15, 20, 30 people back from Assam every day. But it is not like the police are able to catch all of them (alleged illegal immigrants). Today, we had a discussion in the Cabinet that Aadhaar has been in Assam for many years. There is hardly any need for adults to apply for Aadhaar cards now because most of them have already been issued. Now, only children and newborns have to be given Aadhaar cards. We will discuss further and come up with a law for Assam that if adults seek Aadhaar, only District Commissioners will be able to give it to them; no one else will be able to give. As a result, fresh people coming from Bangladesh will not be able to take them,' he said. The development comes against the backdrop of a renewed push against alleged illegal immigration from Bangladesh. This has included the detention and 'pushbacks' into Bangladesh of hundreds of people declared to be foreigners by the state's Foreigners' Tribunals. In a special session of the Assam Legislative Assembly earlier this month, Sarma stated that over 300 people had been 'pushed back' in this manner. On Friday, he confirmed that this process remains underway, noting that another 20 people were 'pushed back' on Thursday night. 'Earlier, Aadhaar was given in Aadhaar centres or SDC offices. Now, till the DC himself does not look, the path to getting Aadhaar will be closed,' he said. Sarma said this issue is still under discussion and that a formal decision will be taken at a future cabinet meeting. He said that the state government is also looking to 'tighten' the process of obtaining delayed birth registration. In a reference to the directions for the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, he said, 'Even to be included in voter lists this time, gradually, birth certificates will be required. That's why we want to make the issuing of birth certificates also tighter… Even cases of availing backdated birth certificates will also go to DCs.' Sarma has frequently expressed concerns over 'suspected foreigners' availing Aadhaar cards in the state. Last year, the Assam cabinet issued a standard operating procedure to link Aadhaar cards to the National Register of Citizens, making it mandatory for one to furnish their NRC application number, which had been provided to them while applying in 2015.
