On India visit, Bill Gates says note ban worth temporary pain

New Delhi: Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and co-Chairperson of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, on Thursday met Home Minister Rajnath and backed the government’s move to demonetise Rs 500, 1000 notes.

According to reports, Gates said that transition is never easy when a government takes bold steps for the greater good but that the temporary pain caused it worth it.

"Government transitions are never managed perfectly and never easy," he said referring to the woes faced by millions across the country due to scrapping of big note.

With the Modi-government trying to move towards a cashless future in its bid to wipe out black money and corruption, Gates lauded steps taken by the country towards digitisation.

"India is pushing towards digitisation in a big way. The scale of the country means that once India gets there, the amount of digital innovation here will be greater than anywhere else in the world," Gates added.

Rajnath Singh asked him to support Central government's efforts for skill upgradation of workers in agriculture sector.

Commending the welfare schemes being run by the Gates Foundation in India, Singh said after the success of its 'Ananya' child care and maternal health programme in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the scheme should also be implemented in Chhattisgah, Jharkhand and Odisha where there is a large tribal population.

The Home Minister invited Gates to support the Central government's initiative to give a major push to skill upgradation of workers in India's agriculture sector, an official statement said.

Singh lauded the Gates Foundation's 'Awahan' initiative which has helped reduce the spread of HIV infection across India.

The Home Minister said the Central government has laid stress on the JAM (Jan Dhan Accounts, Aadhar Number and Mobile Governance) platform and hoped Gates' Potential Digital Financial Inclusion Models can be adopted to improve the Service Delivery System in the country, the statement said.