Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 2 August 2021, launched India's new digital solution, e-RUPI. This new mechanism is said to be a person and purpose specific payment option.
The launch event took place at 4:30pm via video conferencing.
e-RUPI is an alternative digital payment solution developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on its UPI platform, in association with Department of Financial Services (DFS), National Health Authority (NHA), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), and partner banks.
"e-RUPI voucher is going to play a huge role in making Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) more effective in digital transactions in the country. This will help everyone in Targeted, Transparent, and Leakage Free Delivery."Prime Minister Narendra Modi
What is e-RUPI?
e-RUPI is a one-time, seamless, and contactless payment mechanism launched by NPCI As mention above, it is a person and purpose specific, voucher based payment solution, which can be redeemed by the user without any card, digital payments app or internet banking access, at the service provider.
How will e-RUPI work?
As mentioned above, e-RUPI will be a voucher based payment solution. Users of the service will get a QR code or SMS string-based e-Voucher by organizations or Government for a specific purpose, which they will be able to redeem without using any cards, digital payment applications or internet banking services.
According to the official notification, e-RUPI is a pre-paid service, and will ensure that the payment to the service provider for a specific purpose or activity is made only after the transaction is completed.
The e-RUPI voucher will be issued by partner banks.
Which banks will issue e-RUPI?
Currently, eleven banks have partnered up with NPCI supporting e-RUPI. These banks are:
Axis Bank
Canara Bank
Bank of Baroda
ICICI Bank
HDFC Bank
Indian Bank
Indusind Bank
Punjab National Bank
Kotak Bank
Union Bank of India
State Bank of India
What are the benefits of e-RUPI?
According NPCI, e-RUPI has been developed to provide leak proof, fast and safe payment mechanism to its beneficiaries. It further added that the details of the users will be safe and completely confidential. There are many other benefits of e-RUPI:
It is a contactless payment solution. The beneficiary does not need to carry a print out of the voucher
Beneficiaries doesn’t need to share their personal details while redeeming the voucher. Hence, it is safer
Beneficiaries don't need a digital payment application or a bank account in order to redeem the voucher
It is an easy, two-step redemption process
Users can track their voucher redemption process
Since, it is an end to end digital transaction, it doesn't require any physical issuance. Therefore, it is a more cost effective payment solution
Private can use these digital vouchers for the welfare of their employees
According to the official notice, e-RUPI service can also be used to providing services under various government schemes like TB eradication programmes, providing drugs and nutritional support under Mother and Child welfare schemes, fertilizer subsidies, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, etc.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)