Welspun workers in the biggest ever planned Digitization Drive of the country

Welspun Group has initiated the country’s biggest ever digitization drive involving 15,000 of its workers at Anjar plant. The workers of the country’s largest textile and steel conglomerate were initiated into the cashless economy using the RBI’s UPI payment application. This is the largest mass initiation of general public to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cashless transaction drive in the country.

In a mass event presided by Dr. Kavita Gupta,IAS, Textile Commissioner, Government of India,500 workers downloaded and installed the UPI application and will further be trained on using the application for online transactions in their day-to-day life.Dr. Gupta, along with the Welspun team, demonstrated the usage of the application in making purchases, transferring money, paying tuition fees and utility bills. Welspun will further initiate the rest of 14,500 workers to the digital application in the coming weeks.

The Textile Commissioner Dr. Kavita Gupta in her speech briefed the importance and benefits of cashless, digital transactions.  She appealed to people that “we should atleast make a beginning, once we start, we will moved ahead with great ease. Twenty years ago who would have thought that so many mobiles would be in our hands.  Slowly we cultivated a habit and now we can’t do without a mobile. May be a cashless society will assume a similar form. But the sooner this happens, the better it will be.”

Following demonetization, there has been a spurt in digital payments across the country and both the volume and amount of money transacted through digital methods has seen manifold increase since 9^th November.

Mr. Rajesh Mandawewala, Group Managing Director, Welspun Group, said, “Welspun Group’s digitization drive comes in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two prestigious projects – Economy Digitization and Vibrant Gujarat. The drive will bring around 15,000 Welspun workers into the fold of the cashless economy, empowering an equal number of families and opening up a future of digital lifestyle.It is an important start and we’re thankful to the Textile Commissioner for her initiative and support.”

The Welspun Group has been generating direct and indirect employment for over one lakh people in Gujarat. Gujarat-made towels of Welspun have found markets across the world and has put Anjar on the global map. The Group’s Gujarat-made line pipes have made it to the most challenging infrastructure projects across the world and brought pride and fame to the state.

The three-day program was attended by Mr. Rajesh Mandawewala, Group Managing Director – Welspun Group, Mr. Sopan Nath, Unit Head, along with 500 team leaders and officials from the regional office of the Textile Commissioner, Ahmedabad.

The three-day camp saw Welspun workers being made aware of digital mode of payment systems such as Unified Payment Interface (UPI) App, Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), Prepaid Wallets, Cards, Point of Sale (PoS), Aadhar enabled payment transfer system, among others.

Dr.Kavita Gupta was introduced to Welspun’s employment and women empowerment programmes including training and education initiatives.The Textile Commissioner showed immense interest in the Group’s new projects, environment initiatives and product innovations. She also visited Welspun’s Smart Village in Anjar and took a tour.

Anjar houses Welspun Group’s several world-class manufacturing facilities and residential complexes – including Welspun City, a 2,500 acre township in the heart of Anjar. Welspun facilities employ over 15,000 workers and continues to create direct and indirect employment opportunities in Anjar and neighbouring areas.

Welspun India Ltd has 15,000 workers, including 2200 female workers, at the Anjar facility.  The company has 700 trainees under the Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) of the Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India that imparts training to unskilled labourers, thereby providing employment.