WhatsApp has announced the adoption of 500 villages in Maharashtra and Karnataka under its pilot programme. WhatsApp, a messaging platform owned by Meta (Facebook), announced on Wednesday that it is going to take the initiative to introduce rural smartphone users to the digital payment system. The company has said that its pilot programme Digital Payments Festival is going to cover 500 villages in Karnataka and Maharashtra. The messaging app aims to provide users in these villages access to digital payments through WhatsApp Pay. Not only that, Meta's annual program in India can see socio-economic changes and positive effects on society through its apps.

What is the purpose of this program?: WhatsApp company says the program aims to bring about practical changes in the digitally made payment system at the grassroots level. India's WhatsApp Pay chief Abhijit Bose has said, "We are committed to helping accelerate financial inclusion through WhatsApp Pay. We have included 500 villages in Maharashtra and Karnataka in the pilot programme. Our goal is to connect the next 500 million digital payment ecosystems.'

According to media reports, the messaging company of Meta has said that all small and medium businesses in the village, from grocery stores to beauty parlours, will now be able to make digital payments using 'WhatsApp Pay'. The Digital Payments Festival pilot programme has been launched from Kyathanahalli village in Mandya district of Karnataka on October 15. Not only that, the people of this village have been told in detail about digital payments. They were taught how to sign up for UPI, create UPI accounts, and take precautions during digital payments.

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