Fact File
President concludes lucky draw scheme with 100th Mega Draw
Hon’ble President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee picked up the lucky winners from the 100th mega draw for Lucky Grahak Yojana and Lucky Vyapaar Yojana at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on April 9, 2017. He congratulated those who are contributing towards achieving the mission of making India a less-cash society. He articulated that the launch of Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) has demystified the digital payments and brought it within the grasp of every citizen. President urged all citizens to extend their unstinted support to the mission of a less-cash India.
PM Modi launches AePS enabled BHIM App
Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched an Aadhaar enabled BHIM App for merchants in Nagpur on April 14, 2017. At the launch ceremony, PM Modi articulated that BHIM App’s success will be a global case study in the future. Customers will be able to transact digitally by simply using their fingerprint for authentication through BHIM Aadhaar platform. One does not require a smartphone, internet or cards to make seamless digital transactions through BHIM Aadhaar. In his speech, PM Modi mentioned that the time is not far when premise-less and paperless banking will become a part of people’s lives.
BHIM Aadhaar works on NPCI’s existing product - Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS). It allows the customer to make purchases using their Aadhaar number linked with their bank account. BHIM Aadhaar would be applicable for retail merchants (individuals and sole proprietors) only and not for corporate merchants.
NPCI has extended support to the banks mentioned below for BHIM Aadhaar on-boarding as on April 14:
- Public Sector Banks and Private Banks
Allahabad Bank, Andhra Bank, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, City Union Bank (Issuer), Corporation Bank, Dena Bank, Federal Bank (ONUS), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDFC Bank, Indian Bank, IndusInd Bank (Acquirer), Indian Overseas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Punjab National Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, State Bank of India, South Indian Bank (Issuer), Syndicate Bank, UCO Bank, Union Bank of India, United Bank of India and Vijaya Bank.
- Regional Rural Banks (all are issuers)
Kerala Gramin Bank and Pragathi Krishna Gramin Bank sponsored by Canara Bank, Chaitanya Godavari Gramin Bank sponsored by Andhra Bank, Baroda Gujarat Gramin Bank sponsored by Bank of Baroda, Andhra Pradesh Gramin Vikas Bank sponsored by State Bank of India.
NPCI’s BHIM App hits Google PlayStore and iOS with updated version
Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM), the common platform across the nation for making simple, easy and quick payment transactions using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is now available on Google Play Store and iOS with an updated version
1.3. Key features of the latest version (BHIM 1.3) are:
Three new languages: Marathi, Punjabi and Assamese have been added to BHIM application. Total number of languages in BHIM app now stands at 12.
Use phone contacts to send money: Customers can now browse the contact list of their phones to select beneficiaries for sending money. This is applicable to mobile numbers of users who are already registered with BHIM / *99#.
Enhanced QR feature: With the new version, users can browse QR code which is saved in their mobile phones to Scan and Pay. Apart from these key updates, upgraded BHIM app has made possible blocking / un-blocking to prevent unknown collect requests.
UPI goes live on Samsung Pay in collaboration with Axis Bank
Samsung India has enabled Unified Payments Interface (UPI) on its flagship mobile payments service, Samsung Pay in the country. The transactions made by users through UPI on Samsung Pay would be facilitated through Axis Bank. Users can create their unique virtual addresses @pingpay to make seamless bank to bank transfers. To launch Samsung Pay, a user needs to swipe up on an eligible Samsung Galaxy smartphone, select the card, authenticate using a fingerprint or PIN and bring the phone near the Point of Sale terminal.
UPI facilitates mobile payment service for Truecaller Pay in collaboration with ICICI Bank
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is now integrated in Truecaller app to facilitate seamless mobile payment service. The service is available to 150 million customers of Truecaller app. Any user of Truecaller app, including non-ICICI Bank customers can link their bank account of any bank (participating in UPI) to create a UPI id and instantly make payments in a safe and secure manner. One can pay instantly using Truecaller Pay in three simple steps:
Download/open Truecaller app. Tap on ‘Send money through UPI’ in the profile page.
Enter UPI id / mobile number of the recipient and amount. Then click on ‘Pay’.
Enter UPI PIN to authenticate.
UPI collaborates with SpiceJet to book air tickets
Passengers with the help of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) using their mobile phones, will now be able to book air tickets of SpiceJet. The use of their unique UPI IDs i.e. Virtual Payment Address and the integration will allow the SpiceJet passengers to pay for all bookings made on the Spice Jet website. The payment solution on SpiceJet is implemented by HSBC Bank and will be over and above the net banking options available to the customers.
UPI integrates with Ola for cashless payment
Ola, an Indian mobile app for transportation have integrated with Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to simplify the digital payment options for their customers. The integration will allow Ola customers to use their unique UPI IDs to pay for their rides on the Ola platform. While making payments for their Ola rides, the customer will now have an option called ‘Pay by UPI’.
UPI on Chillr App
HDFC Bank has launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) on multi-bank payment app Chillr. With this launch, HDFC Bank UPI will be available on Chillr in addition to the bank’s mobile banking app. The launch of HDFC Bank UPI on Chillr will benefit customers of 44 banks that will now be able to conduct digital transactions seamlessly using the Chillr app.
UPI on-boards three more banks
J&K bank, PSB bank and PMC bank joined the UPI platform. With this, the total number of UPI enabled banks are 47. UPI ecosystem now covers all Public Sector banks. The UPI merchant base is also growing quickly with the recent addition of Billdesk going live with Dynamic QR.
PM Modi launches referral scheme on BHIM for consumers and merchants
BHIM App and *99# users can earn referral bonus directly in their bank account by on-boarding new customers. New users can also earn referral bonus by registering on BHIM app / *99#. To be eligible for referral bonus, existing users will have to share the referral code (registered mobile number) to new users at the time of registration. Customers can earn up to Rs. 25,000. They will be notified under the rewards section of their BHIM App after three successful transactions done by their referee.
AePS ecosystem grows to 134 entities
About 134 banking and non-banking entities are now live on Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) which records over 4.2 crore transactions monthly. More than 40 crore bank accounts have already been linked with Aadhaar and ready for transacting digitally using interoperable AePS system. Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) launched in January 2011, has been growing in term of number of services as well as transactions. This platform allows a customers to make financial transactions using their Aadhaar number linked to the bank account.
RuPay-enables Zeta to issue pre-paid cards
Fintech start-up Zeta, which offers digital employee benefits for tax optimisation has tied up with RuPay to widen Zeta’s payment network and push for a more inclusive adoption of digital payments in corporate India. This collaboration makes Zeta’s meal voucher solution the first ever such solution to run on RuPay platform.
RBL Bank has joined this collaboration as the banking partner. Zeta’s pre-paid card named Zeta Super Card lets users make payments across 12 lakh+ outlets across India as well as on online stores.
NPCI gets re-certified for three ISO Standards
BSI India, the business standards company felicitated NPCI with three ISO Standard certificates. With this development, NPCI is now among few organisations to receive integrated ISO certificates as mentioned below.
ISO 9001:2015 certification for Quality Management System (QMS) focuses on process approach and aims at organisation’s ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customers’ requirements along with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. It aims to enhance customer satisfaction with active involvement of top management and employees
ISO 22301:2012 certification for Business Continuity Management Standard (BCMS) demonstrates that an organisation is able to resume its most critical processes with reduced level of available resources within a timeframe.
ISO 27001:2013 certification for Information Security Management System (ISMS) focuses on systematic approach to managing sensitive company’s information so that it remains secure. It includes people, processes and IT systems by applying a risk management process.
NPCI supports RBL Bank’s Hackathon
RBL Bank Hackathon is a solution development programme aimed at fostering the creation of new solutions in Banking and Financial Services. The Open Innovation theme of RBL Bank Hackathon will cover information dissemination and customer acquisition with better and personalised services within the banking ecosystem. NPCI has supported this initiative by associating as Payments partner. Participants need to envision a new solution and use the diverse set of Financial Services APIs available from various forums including RBL Bank to create innovative solutions. The top three winners stand a chance to win exciting prizes along with a potential engagement opportunity with RBL Bank for productising their ideas apart from cash rewards. http://rblbankilabs.com/
NPCI conducts digital Financial Literacy workshop at IRMA
Digital Financial Literacy workshop was conducted at Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) which consisted Talk-sessions, Presentations, live-demos of BHIM App, *99# service and quiz rounds. Over 130 students attended the workshop. They were encouraged to download and try NPCI’s state-of-the-art payment products.
NPCI HR initiatives
Second phase of ‘Konnect’, an HR initiative conceptualised for new joiners to overcome their initial inhibitions and gel well with the NPCI’s culture was successfully completed in April. It was rolled out in September 2016 by forming pairs consisting of 16 Mentors and 28 Mentees. New joiners showcased their six months of journey at NPCI through presentations to Head HR and other senior officials.
NPCI’s CSR initiatives
Corporate Social Responsibility at NPCI is more of a personal experience than of only corporate citizenship. It is looked as more of an ‘Individual Social Responsibility’ than mere responsibility of the company towards society.
Below are some of the key CSR activities undertaken by NPCI:
NPCI provided aid for renovating a 90 year old Gurukul in Porbandar, Gujarat. It is especially built for 2,000 plus female students supported by Arya Kanya Vidyalaya Trust. The girls hailing from nearby rural areas are now able to avail basic facilities and study at the hostel.
NPCI has supported Mumbai Wellness Center’ at Fort, Mumbai run by a non-profit institution named Sanjeevani-Life Beyond Cancer to conduct regular sessions on psychological counselling, yoga training, nutritional guidance etc. The center had approximately 200 cancer patient beneficiaries in last financial year.
In yet another initiative, NPCI is helping Parisar Asha NGO with quality education support to curb the issue of increasing number of drop outs ratio among two vernacular medium school students. The activity is benefitting about 450 students from first to fifth standard from underserved section of the society.
Knowing the need of inclusion of tribal population, the company is working with Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) to establish a dedicated Bamboo Art Centre in Tadoba, Maharashtra and train the youth from nearby areas in Gobar Gas plant maintenance.
