Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday virtually launch e-RUPI, an electronic voucher-based digital payment system, his office has said. “The Prime Minister has always championed digital initiatives. Over the years, several programmes have been launched to ensure that the benefits reach its intended beneficiaries in a targeted and leak-proof manner, with limited touchpoints between the government and the beneficiary,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Saturday. “The concept of electronic voucher takes forward this vision of Good Governance,” it added.
Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India along with the department of financial services, the Union ministry of health and family welfare and the National Health Authority, e-RUPI is a cashless and contactless instrument for digital payment.
The PMO statement said that e-RUPI is a QR code or SMS string-based e-voucher delivered to the mobile of the beneficiaries. “The users of this seamless 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,” it said.
e-RUPI, the PMO said, connects sponsors of services with beneficiaries and service providers without any physical interface while ensuring that the payment to the service provider is made only after the transaction is completed. “Being pre-paid in nature, it assures timely payment to the service provider without the involvement of any intermediary. It is expected to be a revolutionary initiative in the direction of ensuring a leak-proof delivery of welfare services,” it added.
According to the PMO’s statement, e-RUPI can also be used for delivering services under schemes meant for providing drugs and nutritional support. “Even the private sector can leverage these digital vouchers as part of their employee welfare and corporate social responsibility programmes.”
