India / What is digital payment solution e-RUPI that PM Modi is launching Today?

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will launch a new cashless payment solution, which will operate based on e-vouchers. The system has been developed by the National Payments Corporation of India in collaboration with the department of financial services, health ministry and the National Health Authority.

How to use e-RUPI vouchers

These vouchers are like e-gift cards, which are prepaid in nature. The code of the cards can be shared either via SMS or the OR code can be shared. These e-vouchers will be person and purpose-specific. For example, if you have an e-RUPI voucher for Covid-19 vaccine, then it has to be redeemed for vaccines only.

How is an e-RUPI voucher different from other online payment applications?

E-RUPI is not any platform. It is a voucher meant for specific services. E-RUPI vouchers are purpose-specific and even if one does not have a bank account or a digital payment app or a smartphone can benefit from these vouchers. That is the difference.

These vouchers will be used mostly for health-related payments. Corporates can issue these vouchers for their employees. The Centre had earlier said it would bring in an option for vaccine e-voucher, where one can buy an e-voucher for vaccination in a private hospital and can gift it to another.

The person who is buying the vouchers and issuing them to others can track the utilisation of the vouchers.

Privacy is another issue as the beneficiaries won't have to share their personal details.

How to redeem

No card or hard copy of the voucher is needed for redeeming these. The QR code received via message is enough.

List of banks that are live with e-RUPI

According to National Health Authority, eight banks are already live with e-RUPI, including State Bank of Inia, HDFC, Axis, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank.