Digital India campaign stumbles at SKIMS: Patients face long queues amid lack of online payment facilities

The Digital India Campaign, which aims to facilitate online payments across public and private sectors, appears to have faltered at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Kashmir's premier medical institute.

- PEERZADA UMMER

Patients continue to face long, serpentine queues at the outpatient department (OPD) counters, where they are forced to rummage for cash, specifically 10 Rs notes, to acquire their OPD cards.

According to the news agency—, under the scorching heat, patients and their attendants were seen waiting in extensive lines, eager to get their entries registered. Alarmingly, online payment options are not accepted at these counters. Instead, patients are instructed by counter staff to pay in cash, with no QR scanners visible at any of the counters.