PayNearby and RASCI to upskill India's retail network

Through a rigorous process of audit and training, RASCI in partnership with PayNearby conducted a pilot to assess and certify more than 24,000 retailers as of March 2019, under the national flagship skilling initiative Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

PayNearby has been working closely with retailers at the last mile to make them the torch bearers of financial inclusion at the first mile. The company’s mission to make ‘Har Dukaan Digital Pradhan’ is envisaged to empower the local retailer and create a thriving eco-system for the local community. PayNearby has successfully enabled Digital Pradhans to provide many essential services to their local communities, including Aadhaar banking, domestic deposits/remittances, insurance, access to government schemes and many more.

“Retailing in India is one of the pillars of our socio-economic structure, with retailers having deep rooted relationships in the local communities. For India to thrive and grow, it is important that the owner manned small and medium shops, who form the bulk of the retail industry, are given the necessary support and tools to stay relevant in the fast-evolving economy, said Anand Kumar Bajaj, founder & CEO, PayNearby.

It has been our mission to partner with retailer friends across the country and bridge the digital divide that exists in India. We are fortunate and extremely proud of our 8,00,000 strong and growing retailer base, who provide Bharat with all the essential financial inclusion and other services, that the masses were deprived of till date.

As an organisation, PayNearby acknowledges the deep symbiotic relationship that it has with the retailer community, and the company wants to take all possible steps to ensure the health and recognition of retailers. An important milestone in this direction is the partnership with RASCI, an autonomous industry-led body under the National Skill Development Corporation.

The partnership will enable upskilling and certification of close to 20 lakh uncertified retailers and provide them with enhanced recognition and social boost that they deserve. We look forward to working closely with RASCI to upskill and conduct certification of the retailer workforce as per the National Skill Qualification framework (NSQF).”

“PayNearby is pioneering great work for retailers and we are happy to partner with them in upskilling the retailer workforce leading to enhanced recognition and pride through NSQF certification, aligned with the Skill India Mission under the aegis of the ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship. This initiative would help trigger the retailer transition from the traditional to modern way of retailing as ‘Job Generators’ for relevantly skilled ‘Job Seekers’, nearby,” said James Raphael, executive head & joint central apprenticeship adviser, RASCI.

Incepted in April 2016, Nearby Technologies is a fintech company offering financial/non-financial services to the underbanked and unbanked segment. Nearby Technologies works on a B2B2C model through its various brands – PayNearby, InsureNearby, BuyNearby and few more. PayNearby empowers retailers at the first mile to offer digital services to local communities, thereby boosting financial inclusion in India.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (PC)