digital payments: Cash in circulation at a decadal high even as digital payments soar

At nearly a sixth of the gross domestic product (GDP), currency in circulation is at its highest in a decade, pointing to the likelihood of cash storage in anticipation of medical emergencies, even as much of India is shut down and mobility curbs imposed to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

Simultaneously, digital modes of payment have also soared manifold since the demonetisation in late 2016 , underscoring the apparent dichotomy in