PM Modi launches digital payment solution e-RUPI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched e-RUPI — the government’s digital payment solution meant to ensure delivery of welfare services, which, for now, will be used to push vaccination efforts. The platform will go live for the first time at a Covid vaccination centre in Mumbai.

The e-RUPI platform, has been developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the National Health Authority is a cashless and contactless digital payments medium, which will be delivered to mobile phones of beneficiaries in form of an SMS-string or a QR code. This can be redeemed directly with the service provider. Launching the digital payments solution e-RUPI on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the voucher-based system will “play a huge role in making DBT (direct benefit transfer) more effective in digital transactions in the country and give a new dimension to digital governance”. According to the government, e-RUPI — built on NPCI’s UPI system — would ensure leak-proof delivery of welfare services. It will initially be deployed alongside the National Digital Health Mission and to support the vaccine drive, but added that it can also be used for delivering services under schemes meant for providing drugs and nutritional support.