NPCI Bharat BillPay Partners with SBI for NCMC Recharge

 Revolutionizing Transit Payments: NPCI Bharat BillPay Partners with SBI for NCMC Recharge

In a significant stride towards enhancing commuter convenience, NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL), a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has teamed up with State Bank of India (SBI) to introduce National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) recharge as a new biller category. This collaboration aims to streamline transit payments, particularly for users of SBI NCMC cards.

          Multiple banks in India offer NCMC cards as part of their business strategy. However, it was a pain for the card holders to top up their NCMC cards. This pain minimised the plus points of NCMC cards.  Now, a beginning has been made with SBI NCMC getting onboarded on to the BBPS platform.

 

About NCMC - The National Common Mobility Card, launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs of the Government of India, is an inter-operable transport card enabling users to pay for travel, toll duties, retail shopping, and withdraw money.

It offers contactless smart card technology and was launched on March 4, 2019, by NPCI.

 

The initiative, which went live on April 18, 2024, encompasses various metro networks including Noida, Nagpur, Chennai, and Kanpur, along with specific lines of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and even services at the Parliament Canteen.

Initially available through SBI's Bharat BillPay-enabled application, SBI Unipay, this service will soon extend to other Bharat BillPay-enabled frontend platforms.

 

The introduction of NCMC recharge as a biller category offers a seamless online solution for commuters to conveniently top-up their cards, eliminating the need for long queues and ensuring a hassle-free experience.

With the flexibility to recharge up to INR 10,000 online via Bharat BillPay-enabled platforms, customers can use various payment methods including prepaid, debit, and credit cards.

After a successful recharge, users simply need to tap their NCMC cards on terminals to update their balance. This is a prerequisite for the actual balance up dation in the NCMC card to happen. So, folks do remember this and do not forget.

 

Ms. Noopur Chaturvedi, CEO of NPCI Bharat BillPay, expressed gratitude towards SBI for co-creating and launching this new category, emphasizing the enhancement it brings to the daily transit experience of NCMC cardholders. This move underscores NPCI's commitment to easing digital payments with the reliability and safety of the Bharat BillPay platform.

 

Mr. Mahesh Kumar Sharma, DMD (Transaction Banking & New Initiatives) at State Bank of India, echoed the sentiment, highlighting the industry-first offering's potential to revolutionize commuter experiences. By leveraging SBI Unipay and other Bharat BillPay-enabled platforms, SBI NCMC cardholders can enjoy instant and secure top-up options, bypassing long queues and ensuring a smooth transit experience.

 

The process for recharging NCMC cards via Bharat BillPay-enabled platforms is straightforward:

1. Open SBI Unipay (or other Bharat BillPay enabled frontend platforms)

2. Choose the NCMC category

3. Select the biller

4. Input mobile number & last 4 digits of NCMC card number

5. Enter the recharge amount

6. Make the payment

7. Tap the card on terminals to update the balance on the NCMC card.

 

About SBI Unipay - SBI Unipay is an online bill payment system launched by SBI, offering convenient and accessible services across all banking channels. With the facility to pay bills anytime, anywhere, and support for multiple payment modes, SBI Unipay ensures instant and verifiable confirmation of payments, along with standardized complaint and dispute management processes.

Well, this is an eye opener for me. I did not know that SBI had a separate Bill Payment Portal / APP.

**Multiple Biller Categories Supported**

SBI Unipay supports bill payments for various categories, including recharge & utility bills such as mobile, electricity, DTH, broadband, gas, cable TV, and FasTag, as well as institution fees for schools, colleges, subscriptions, and other categories like life, general, and health insurance, and municipality taxes.

 

**Multiple Payment Modes Supported**

BBPS facilitates a plethora of payment modes including cash, wallet, credit cards, debit cards, UPI, prepaid cards, net banking, and ATM transactions.

 

**Multiple Payment Channels Supported**

Customers can access multiple channels for bill payment, including net banking, YONO, mobile banking, BHIM SBI PAY, RRB, FIGS, agents, business correspondents, and ATMs.

 

**Nation First Transit Card by SBI**

State Bank of India's Nation First Transit Card is a contactless dual-interface prepaid card designed for safe, secure, and seamless payments. Apart from transit usage in NCMC-enabled modes, it offers extended usability for retail payments and e-commerce transactions. The card features chip protection for enhanced security, tap-and-pay functionality, and convenient top-up/recharge options.

 

With a minimum top-up amount of Rs. 100 and a maximum limit of Rs. 2000, the Nation First Transit Card ensures cashless travels in metros, buses, ferries, and offers ease of use at designated SBI branches and metro stations.

 

**About BBPS**

Bharat BillPay is a platform conceptualized by the RBI to simplify collections and settlements by connecting businesses and customers across India.

With technological solutions facilitating payments via physical outlets and digital channels, BBPS offers fast settlements, supports multiple payment modes, and provides access to over 21,000 billers nationwide.

The collaboration between NPCI Bharat BillPay and SBI marks a significant milestone in the realm of digital payments, particularly in transit systems, promising enhanced convenience, efficiency, and security for commuters across India.

As more platforms and biller categories come onboard, the landscape of digital payments continues to evolve, offering greater accessibility and ease of use for consumers nationwide.

Kudos to State Bank of India for taking the first step, this step will motivate other NCMC Issuer Banks to quickly onboard BBPS.

Eagerly waiting for other NCMS Issuer Banks to follow SBI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: These are my personal thoughts only. The bottom line is Spreading the Joy of Safe ePayments.

 

Safe and Stylish: Unveiling World SafeePay and Blouse Day Delights

 

The need for observing World SafeePay Day and World Blouse Day arises from the absence of dedicated global celebrations for these concepts.

World SafeePay Day aims to celebrate the joy of safe electronic payments in all financial transactions, representing an abstract celebration that highlights the significance of secure and efficient digital financial interactions.

As the world increasingly relies on electronic payment systems, having a designated day for SafeePay emphasizes the importance of secure and reliable digital financial transactions.

 

On the other hand, World Blouse Day seeks to celebrate the joys of wearing blouses in a more lively and visually impactful manner.

The concept involves a powerful display of togetherness, with millions of people stepping out wearing blouses based on a chosen theme.

This display celebration not only promotes a sense of unity but also serves as a unique and creative expression of shared identity through clothing.

 

The introduction of these days aligns with the United Nations' approach to designating specific days to raise awareness, promote action, and celebrate achievements related to various global issues.

While international days often focus on serious matters, World SafeePay Day and World Blouse Day offer a mix of abstract and lively celebrations, catering to the diverse interests and aspects of modern life.

In a world where electronic transactions and cultural expressions are integral parts of daily living, these designated days would contribute to fostering awareness and appreciation for safe ePayments and the joy of wearing blouses.

 

 

SafeePay's joy, transactions secure,

World Blouse Day, colors allure.

Digits dance, a digital delight,

Blouse themes bloom, in unity's light.