eNews
Encourage cashless transactions, Naidu urges officials
NEW DELHI: M Venkaiah Naidu, who holds the dual charge of the ministries of information & broadcasting, and urban development and housing & urban poverty alleviation, yesterday urged officials in both the ministries to facilitate cashless economy and encourage digital and online transactions.
Addressing the officers regarding the steps being taken by the government, he said the attempt was to prevent delays through seamless transactions and end the menace of corruption and black money.
Naidu mentioned that the government’s JAM (Jan Dhan, AADHAR & Mobile) initiative would also facilitate this transformation. In this context, he reiterated the prime minister’s JAM vision which would ensure maximum penetration of technology among the masses and maximum empowerment for the poor.
Naidu urged all officers to provide counselling to their staff to move and adapt to a cashless and digital transactions reducing the role of physical money in day-to-day transactions. This exercise could also be conducted at the homes by officers and staff with the people associated in their day to day life as part of social responsibility. The minister also mentioned few platforms available for digital transactions including Unified Payment Interface and Mobile Wallets.
Minister of state for information & broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore, ministry secretary Ajay Mittal, urban development secretary Rajiv Gauba, housing and urban poverty secretary Dr. Nandita Chatterjee, senior officers from the ministries, were also present in the meeting held at Vigyan Bhawan, NewDelhi.
A presentation on “Government – Citizen Transactions towards less cash economy including different platforms and methods of transaction” was also made by Team NITI Ayog. The presentation was followed by a Question & Answer session, where doubts were cleared and queries answered.
eNews
Swiggy sees record orders during India vs New Zealand T20 final
Chicken biryani tops match-day menu as fans order 7,500 times per minute at peak.
MUMBAI: India’s T20 final didn’t just break stumps, it broke Swiggy’s delivery records, proving cricket fans celebrate victories with plates, not just flags. Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, reported a sharp spike in food orders during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand. On 8 March 2026, overall orders rose 23.2 per cent year-on-year compared with the same date in 2025, driven by fans turning living rooms into mini stadiums complete with match-day feasts.
Key highlights from the evening:
- Orders during peak match hours (7–10 pm) were 2.1 times higher than pre-match levels.
- The highest order rate hit 7,500 orders per minute at 19:45.
- Chicken biryani reigned supreme as the most-ordered dish, followed by masala dosa, chicken fried rice, garlic breadsticks and paneer butter masala.
While metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad led volumes, the cricketing fever spread nationwide. Among emerging cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Surat and Rajkot recorded the strongest order growth. Smaller markets including Shillong, Agartala and Port Blair also showed significant appetite, underlining the expanding footprint of quick-commerce food delivery across India.
The surge reflects a growing trend of pairing major sporting events with doorstep delivery, turning big matches into shared, convenient celebrations. In a night where every boundary mattered, Swiggy proved the real MVP might just be the delivery partner who kept the snacks and the vibes flowing without missing a single wicket.
