Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
Mains level: Read the attached story
Central Idea
- The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced a range of groundbreaking features on the popular Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform.
Hello! UPI: Voice-Enabled UPI Payments
- Hello! UPI, a remarkable addition, facilitates voice-enabled UPI payments in Hindi and English.
- Users can make UPI payments through voice commands via apps, telecom calls, and IoT devices.
- Future plans include expanding this feature to support several regional languages, further enhancing accessibility.
Credit Line on UPI: Streamlined Access to Credit
- The RBI Governor introduced Credit Line on UPI, an initiative aimed at promoting financial inclusion and innovation.
- This offering allows users to access pre-sanctioned credit from banks via UPI, simplifying the credit acquisition process.
- Features include interest-free credit periods, defined charges, and seamless customer engagement channels.
- The goal is to expedite the credit access process, driving economic growth and digital banking efficiency.
UPI LITE X: Offline Money Transfers
- UPI LITE X introduces offline money transfers, enabling users to send and receive funds even without internet connectivity.
- This feature empowers transactions in areas with poor network coverage.
- UPI LITE payments are known for their speed and efficiency, making them a preferred choice for users.
UPI Tap & Pay: Convenience Redefined
- UPI Tap & Pay offers a new way to complete payments at merchant locations.
- In addition to traditional scan-and-pay, users can now tap Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled QR codes.
- This feature enhances convenience, making transactions swift and effortless.
Conversational Payments: AI-Enabled Transactions
- Conversational UPI Payments and Conversational Bill Payments represent a paradigm shift in human-machine interaction.
- These AI-enabled transactions aim to deepen the adoption of digital payments across India.
- Users can make voice-enabled UPI payments through UPI Apps, telecom calls, and IoT devices in Hindi, English, and regional languages.
- NPCI has collaborated with AI4Bharat at IIT Madras to develop language models for Hindi and English payments.
BillPay Connect: Simplified Bill Payments
- BillPay Connect introduces a nationalized number for bill payments across India.
- Customers can conveniently fetch and pay bills through messaging apps with a simple ‘Hi.’
- Even users without smartphones or immediate data access can pay bills via a missed call, followed by a verification call.
- Voice Assisted Bill Payments via smart home devices offer added convenience and instant confirmation.
- This innovation enhances security and reassurance for both customers and collection centers.
Conclusion
- These pioneering features unveiled by NPCI mark a significant leap in India’s digital payment landscape.
- They not only enhance accessibility but also redefine convenience, making digital transactions more user-friendly.
- With innovative offerings like voice-enabled payments and streamlined credit access, NPCI continues to play a pivotal role in India’s technological advancement.
- The journey towards a digitally empowered India takes a giant stride forward with these game-changing UPI features.
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