INDIA. Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched e-RUPI, an electronic voucher-based digital payment system, a cashless and contactless instrument, which acts as an e-voucher based on a QR code or SMS string.
It is delivered to the mobile phones of the beneficiaries, through a QR code or SMS string. The users of this new one-time payment mechanism will be able to redeem the voucher without a card, digital payments app, or internet banking access, at the service provider.
The platform has been developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on its unified payments interface (UPI) platform, in collaboration with the Department of Financial Services, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), and the National Health Authority.
The PMO in a statement said that e-RUPI can be used for delivering services under schemes meant for providing drugs and nutritional support under Mother and Child welfare schemes, TB eradication programs, drugs and diagnostics under schemes like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, fertilizer subsidies, etc. It added that even the private sector can leverage these digital vouchers as part of their employee welfare and corporate social responsibility programs.
Speaking at the launch of the new platform, Modi said that the e-RUPI voucher is going to play a major role in strengthening the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme by the government and it will help in assuring targeted, transparent and leakage-free delivery for all. It is a person as well as a purpose-specific payment platform. The technology is being seen as a tool to help the poor, which is bringing transparency in DBT, he added.
Speaking on the adoption of technology, Modi said that India is showing the world that it is not behind in adopting new technology. Be it in terms of innovations or usage of technology in the delivery of services, India is capable of being a global leader. He said that the work done in the field of digital infrastructure and digital transactions across the country during the past 6-7 years is being applauded by the world today.
He added that the government is using direct benefit transfer to provide benefits of 300 schemes ranging from LPG to ration to pension directly to beneficiaries. The e-RUPI initiative will be one of the programs launched over the years to limit touchpoints between the government and the beneficiary and ensure that the benefits reach its intended beneficiaries in a targeted and leak-proof manner.
The e-RUPI connects the sponsors of the services with the beneficiaries and service providers in a digital manner without any physical interface. It also ensures that the payment to the service provider is made only after the transaction is completed. Being prepaid in nature, it assures timely payment to the service provider without the involvement of any intermediary.
The one-time payment mechanism of e-RUPI will allow users to redeem the voucher without a card, digital payments app, or internet banking access, at the service provider. Even the private sector can leverage these digital vouchers as part of their corporate social responsibility programs, a PMO statement added.
