I Am Back, NPCI BHIM | Where My Next UPI Journey Begins

 Sometimes the next journey begins with a fresh perspective.

Published 01 June 2026

By Nayakanti Prashant
3rd Gen Banker & Citizen Lobbyist – Bengaluru
Advocating Digital Transactions Day (April 11)

On 1 June 2026, I am making a simple decision.

For my regular digital payments, I am returning to NPCI BHIM.

Not because other UPI apps are bad.

Not because I have a complaint.

Not because I am chasing cashback.

I am returning because I want to experience one of India's most important UPI platforms as an everyday user once again.

Today, after years of using multiple payment applications, I find myself drawn toward a platform that remains closely connected to the institution that built the UPI ecosystem itself.

Three words come to mind:

Simple. Secure. Trusted.

A Platform Worth Revisiting

India's digital payments journey has evolved dramatically over the last decade.

UPI has become part of everyday life.

From neighbourhood stores to large retailers, from utility bills to person-to-person transfers, digital payments are now woven into our daily routines.

The ecosystem continues to evolve with innovations such as:

• Linked Bank Account UPI
• UPI Lite
• Credit Card on UPI
• AutoPay
• Merchant QR Payments
• Delegated Payments

Behind this remarkable transformation stands NPCI, the institution that built and continues to strengthen the UPI infrastructure.

NPCI BHIM may not always dominate conversations, but it remains an important part of India's digital payments story.

My Plan

Over the coming months, I intend to use NPCI BHIM as my primary UPI application across three major payment modes.

Bank Account UPI

The traditional UPI experience.

Direct account-to-account payments through a linked bank account.

Simple and familiar.

UPI Lite

For everyday low-value transactions.

Tea.

Coffee.

Parking.

Small merchant payments.

The transactions that happen quickly and frequently throughout the day.

Credit Card on UPI

One of the most interesting additions to the UPI ecosystem.

The ability to use an eligible RuPay Credit Card through UPI combines the convenience of QR payments with the flexibility of credit.

What Caught My Attention

While exploring the latest NPCI BHIM experience, one feature stood out immediately.

The cashback section.

At first glance, it appears to be a small enhancement.

But I believe it reflects a thoughtful approach to user control.

The application now gives users a choice.

Cashback can either be withdrawn immediately or accumulated within the application and withdrawn later.

The message that caught my attention was simple:

"Keep your bank statements clean."

That sentence stayed with me.

Traditionally, cashback credits can appear as multiple entries in a bank statement.

Over time, they add clutter.

The new NPCI BHIM approach allows cashback to remain accumulated in one place until the user decides to withdraw it.

It is a small feature.

But it introduces flexibility.

And good digital products are often built around meaningful user choices.

Why This Matters

As someone who frequently writes about digital payments and advocates for Digital Transactions Day (April 11), I often think about what makes digital payments enjoyable.

The answer is surprisingly straightforward.

People enjoy digital payments when they feel:

• Safe
• Confident
• In control

Whether it is UPI Lite, Credit Card on UPI, or the redesigned cashback experience, the common theme appears to be user control.

And user control builds trust.

A Personal Journey, Not A Review

This is not a review.

It is not a comparison.

And it is certainly not a farewell to other UPI applications.

India's UPI success story has been built through innovation from many participants across the ecosystem.

My return to NPCI BHIM should simply be viewed as a personal journey.

An opportunity to experience the platform regularly, observe its strengths, understand its evolution, and share those observations along the way.

Looking Ahead

Perhaps I will discover features that I appreciate.

Perhaps I will identify areas where further improvements are possible.

Either way, it promises to be an interesting experience.

For now, the objective is straightforward:

Use NPCI BHIM regularly.

Use UPI Lite.

Use Credit Card on UPI.

Use linked bank account payments.

And experience the platform with fresh eyes.

Closing Thoughts

Sometimes progress is about moving forward.

Sometimes progress is about taking a fresh look at something familiar.

For me, June 2026 begins with a return to one of India's most important digital payment platforms.

Not out of nostalgia.

Not out of criticism.

But out of curiosity, appreciation, and a desire to experience NPCI BHIM with fresh eyes.

I am back, NPCI BHIM.

And I look forward to where this next UPI journey leads.

The Joy of Digital Transactions - Nayakanti Prashant

Author’s Blogs

https://prashantrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
https://prashantnepayments.blogspot.com
https://innovationinbanking.blogspot.com

Good Bye Paytm Suryoday Bank UPI Credit Line

Published 17 May 2026

 

The product solved one problem beautifully — decluttering the main bank account statement — but the pricing psychology slowly made the convenience feel expensive.

Yes, the convenience fee part was disclosed upfront, but an open-ended fee is a bit unsettling. 

 

When Convenience Starts Carrying a Shadow Cost

In the early years of India’s UPI revolution, the dream was simple — seamless payments, invisible friction, and financial convenience that felt almost magical.

Then came the next layer of innovation: UPI Credit Lines.

Instead of directly debiting the savings account for every tea, auto ride, grocery bill, or late-night food order, users could route small daily transactions through a dedicated credit layer.

One such experience arrived through Paytm Postpaid in partnership with Suryoday Small Finance Bank.

And honestly, the idea was brilliant.

 

The Silent Beauty of the Product

There was something strangely satisfying about keeping the primary bank statement clean.

No endless rows of:

• ₹12 tea payments, yes in Bengaluru the default tea cup rate is now INR12.
• ₹43 bakery bills
• ₹79 grocery add-ons
• ₹152 quick commerce orders

Instead, all the small transactions quietly accumulated into one structured monthly repayment cycle.

It felt cinematic in its own way.

Your main bank account became the “main screen,” while the Paytm Suryoday UPI Credit Line handled the background noise.

In UPI, the background noise is quite significant.

For users who track finances carefully, this decluttering itself became a psychological luxury.

 

But Then Came the Convenience Fees

The challenge was not the existence of the fees.

The challenge was uncertainty. Uncertainty is always at the back of the mind.

Because the convenience fees were linked to usage patterns, estimating the actual monthly cost became difficult at the beginning of the month.

And that changes user psychology.

A fixed subscription feels predictable.

A hidden drip of small convenience fees feels different.

Even when the total amount is not financially devastating, the experience slowly starts feeling like:

“How much am I actually paying for convenience this month?”

That question alone changes the emotional relationship with the product.

 

The Gold Coin Cushion — Helpful, But Not Transformational

To be fair, Paytm’s Gold Coin rewards softened the impact slightly.

The cashback-style rewards created a feeling that some value was returning back to the ecosystem.

But realistically, the Gold Coins reduced the damage — they did not eliminate the damage.

The core concern still remained:

• unpredictable convenience fees
• fragmented cost visibility
• difficulty in mentally budgeting usage

 

The Rise of UPI Lite Changes the Equation

This is where UPI Lite by NPCI changes the narrative completely.

UPI Lite quietly solves a surprisingly similar problem:

• faster low-value payments
• reduced bank statement clutter
• lightweight transaction handling
• smoother checkout experience

Without introducing the same layer of convenience fee anxiety.

That changes the comparison entirely.

The original emotional advantage of the Paytm Suryoday UPI Credit Line — decluttering the primary account — no longer feels exclusive.

Now, users have alternatives.

And once alternatives exist, pricing transparency becomes far more important.

 

This Is Not a Rejection of Innovation

To be clear, UPI Credit Lines remain an important innovation in India’s digital payments ecosystem.

In fact, they represent one of the most important bridges between:

• UPI convenience
• small-ticket credit
• behavioral finance
• digital consumption patterns

The concept itself is powerful.

But products built around daily habit formation require one thing above all else:

predictable emotional comfort.

The moment users begin mentally calculating hidden convenience charges before every payment, the magic starts fading.

 

The Ending

Every fintech product has a phase where it feels futuristic.

Then comes the phase where users quietly ask:

“Is this still worth it?”

For me, the Paytm Suryoday Bank UPI Credit Line delivered genuine convenience during its peak usage phase.

But over time, UPI Lite started achieving a similar operational outcome with far less mental friction.

And sometimes, in digital payments, reducing mental friction matters more than adding financial flexibility.

So, this is not an angry goodbye.

It is simply a practical one.

A small closing scene in India’s continuously evolving UPI story.

---

✍️ The Joy of Digital Transactions

Nayakanti Prashant
3rd Gen Banker & Citizen Lobbyist – Bengaluru
Digital Transactions Day (April 11)

 

Author’s Blogs

https://prashantrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
https://prashantnepayments.blogspot.com
https://innovationinbanking.blogspot.com

 

 

 

01/05/2026 – Drive into the Future: India’s First MLFF Tolling Goes Live at Choryasi – Gujarat.

 Published on April 30, 2026

Disclaimer

This article is an independent citizen perspective and is not associated with any government authority or agency.

This is a massive upgrade to the driving experience on our Indian highways.

Yes, in couple of hours from now, vehicles crossing the Choryasi toll plaza in Gujarat, need to stop at the toll plaza, the charges will be auto deducted from your FASTag.

Of course, your vehicle should have the other accessories in place. 

Respected Nitin Ji,

At the outset — this is pure awesomeness.

A transformation of this scale is not just about toll collection.
It is about redefining how India moves.

Kudos to you and the entire team for enabling a system where vehicles don’t stop,
yet compliance remains continuous and invisible.

This is not just a reform in tolling.
It is a quiet moment where the highway stops asking us to pause —
and starts trusting us to move.

---

🚗 From Toll Booths to Flowing Highways

For decades, toll plazas meant:

• waiting lines
• fuel wastage
• fragmented payment systems

India moved from:
Cash → FASTag → now MLFF

And with this transition:

The highway no longer asks you to stop to prove compliance.

---

⚙️ What is MLFF (Multi-Lane Free Flow Tolling)?

 

MLFF is a barrier-less tolling system where:

• Vehicles move at normal speed
• Overhead gantries capture:
• FASTag (RFID)
• Vehicle number plate (ANPR)
• Toll is deducted automatically

If payment fails:

• An E-notice is generated
• Continued non-payment may lead to:
• FASTag blacklisting
• VAHAN-based restrictions

---

🧠 The Concept: Compliance Without Friction

MLFF represents a deeper shift:

• No physical checkpoints
• No human intervention
• Full digital traceability

This is:

Infrastructure that trusts systems, not stoppages

---

🏗️ The Journey: From Vision to Reality

The idea of barrier-less tolling has been consistently articulated by Shri Nitin Gadkari Ji, focusing on:

• Reducing logistics costs
• Eliminating congestion
• Enabling seamless highway mobility

Over time, India built the foundation through:

• Nationwide FASTag adoption
• Digital payment readiness
• Integration with vehicle databases

MLFF is the next logical step — not a sudden shift, but a designed evolution.

---

🏛️ The Institutions Behind the Shift

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)

• Leads highway development and toll policy execution
• Driving modernization of toll infrastructure

Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL)

• Architect of FASTag ecosystem
• Enabler of digital toll collection systems

Together, they form:

The operational and digital backbone of India’s highway transformation

---

🔗 Reference Signals & Public Domain Sources

• Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH):
  https://morth.nic.in
• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI):
  https://nhai.gov.in
• Indian Highways Management Company Ltd (IHMCL / FASTag):
  https://ihmcl.co.in
• FASTag / Digital Tolling (Parivahan):
  https://parivahan.gov.in
• E-Notice Access (as referenced in rollout communication):
  https://nhfeenotice.parivahan.gov.in

Public statements by Shri Nitin Gadkari Ji across PIB releases and media interactions have consistently emphasized barrier-less tolling and seamless mobility.

---

📍 The First Step: Choryasi Toll Plaza

From May 1, 2026,
Choryasi Toll Plaza becomes the first live implementation of MLFF in India.

This is more than a rollout.

This is:

A directional signal for the future of all Indian highways

---

💳 The Behavioural Shift

Then	Now
Stop → Pay → Move	Move → Auto Pay
Manual verification	Automated detection
Physical queues	Seamless flow

MLFF quietly introduces:

Discipline by design, not enforcement by interruption

---

🌐 A Larger Reflection

This is not just a tolling upgrade.

It reflects:

• Maturity of India’s digital infrastructure
• Confidence in automated systems
• A shift toward real-time governance

And most importantly:

The road itself becomes intelligent.

---

🙏 Closing Note

Respected Nitin Ji,

Some transformations are visible — roads, bridges, expressways.
Some are invisible — systems, signals, automation.

MLFF belongs to the second category.

And yet, it may change how India travels
more than anything we can physically see.

Somewhere between movement and deduction,
India is learning that trust can also be engineered.

Yes, this is a massive transformation.

And this blog post cannot wait till tomorrow.

---

The Joy of Digital Transactions

Nayakanti Prashant
Citizen Advocate – Digital Transactions Day (April 11, Proposed)

 

Author’s Blogs

https://prashantrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
https://prashantnepayments.blogspot.com
https://innovationinbanking.blogspot.com

 

 

A Small Phrase, A Big Question: Reading Between the Lines of the Draft PPI Directions 2026

 April 22, 2026

Sometimes, it is not the headline provisions—but a single line—that signals a deeper shift.

While reading the Draft Master Direction on Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), 2026, issued by the Reserve Bank of India, one phrase stood out:

“Via SMS or e-mail or any other means”

At first glance, this appears to be a routine drafting choice—allowing flexibility in how customers are notified. But when placed in the context of customer protection and transaction visibility, it raises an important question.

The full text of the Reserve Bank of India Draft Directions can be read here @ https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/bs_viewcontent.aspx?Id=4987

From Standard to Open-Ended

Until now, communication around critical payment events—especially alerts related to expiry, inactivity, or transactions—has largely followed a dual-channel baseline: SMS and email.

This has not been accidental. It has been deliberate redundancy—ensuring that if one channel is missed, the other acts as a safety net.

The introduction of “any other means” expands the scope. Flexibility increases—but so does ambiguity.

---

The Subtle Trade-off

The shift is not necessarily problematic. Innovation in communication channels is both inevitable and welcome.

However, a few practical questions emerge:

• Will SMS and email remain default channels, or become optional?
• Could reliance on alternative channels lead to missed or delayed alerts?
• How will consistency be ensured across issuers?

In digital payments, visibility is protection. A missed notification is not just a communication gap—it can translate into a missed opportunity to act.

---

A Design Perspective

From a system design standpoint, the ideal approach may lie in layering, not replacing:

• Keep SMS + Email as the baseline
• Allow additional channels as opt-in enhancements
• Ensure clear defaults and easy modification for users

Flexibility, when anchored in predictability, strengthens trust.

---

Closing Thought

This is not a critique—only a reflection.

A small phrase in a draft direction can often carry implications that unfold over time. Recognizing such signals early is part of building a resilient and user-centric digital payments ecosystem.

Detailed feedback will be shared with the Reserve Bank of India in due course.

---

The Joy of Digital Transactions

Nayakanti Prashant
Citizen Advocate – Digital Transactions Day (April 11, Proposed)

Disclaimer: This is a general observation and not an official interpretation.

 

The only Joy is in ‘Digital Transactions Day’.

---

 

Author’s Blogs

https://prashantrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
https://prashantnepayments.blogspot.com
https://innovationinbanking.blogspot.com

 

Kudos to the Winners of RBI’s 4th Global Hackathon – HaRBInger 2026: From Innovation to Trust Architecture

This RBI Hackathon Is Bigger Than It Looks – Here’s Why

 April 21, 2026

There are moments in a nation’s digital journey when innovation stops being experimental—and starts becoming foundational.

The fourth edition of the global hackathon by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)—HaRBInger 2026—is one such moment.

At first glance, it is a hackathon.
But at a deeper level, it is something far more significant:

A structured convergence of regulation, innovation, and real-world financial needs.

The jury members would have had a tough n interesting time to shortlist the winners.

A wide range of people from all parts of the fintech ecosystem were invited to be mentors.

Why HaRBInger 2026 and not HaRBInger 2025, simple, because the winners were announced in 2026.

HaRBInger: A Hackathon with Institutional Intent

Unlike conventional hackathons that reward novelty, HaRBInger operates with institutional intent.

It is designed to:

• Channel innovation into regulated financial pathways
• Align startups with real-world supervisory expectations
• Create a pipeline of deployable solutions, not just prototypes

👉 Official announcement:
https://fintech.rbi.org.in/FS_PressRelease?prid=61485&fn=2765

---

The Winners: Signals, Not Just Selections

The winners of HaRBInger 2026 are not just successful teams—they are signals of direction.

👉 Full winners list (official RBI release):
https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=62590

They reflect a shift toward:

• Security-first design
• User-centric simplicity
• Compliance-aligned scalability

---

Inside the Winning Solutions: A Thematic Snapshot

While each winning team brings a unique approach, a thematic reading of the solutions (based on the official RBI release) suggests three clear innovation directions:

1. Strengthening Fraud Detection & Prevention

Several solutions focus on identifying anomalies in real time, aiming to reduce financial fraud before it impacts end users.

2. Enhancing User Trust Through Design Simplicity

A strong emphasis is visible on making secure systems intuitive—because adoption depends not just on safety, but on usability.

3. Building Scalable, Regulation-Aligned Infrastructure

The solutions reflect an understanding that innovation in finance must operate within regulatory boundaries while remaining scalable.

 

A Small Detail That Stayed with Me

There was one line in the announcement that stayed with me.

“It also leverages existing ATM and POS infrastructure to facilitate terminal-assisted CBDC transfers for users without personal devices.”

Personally, this is close to my heart.

Because not everyone has a smartphone.
Not everyone is always connected.

But almost everyone, at some point, has access to:

• an ATM
• or a nearby POS terminal

If something like this actually takes shape, it could quietly change a lot:

• Digital access without needing a personal device
• Familiar infrastructure doing something new
• Inclusion without making it complicated

And if it works well here, there’s no reason it can’t travel beyond India.

Sometimes, the biggest shifts don’t come from entirely new systems — but from reimagining what we already have.

 

Note: The above is a high-level thematic interpretation based on publicly available information from the RBI press release. Readers are encouraged to refer to the official announcement for detailed solution descriptions.

Disclaimer: This summary is intended for general understanding and is based on publicly available information from the RBI. It does not represent official technical evaluations or endorsements of individual solutions.

---

Beyond the Solutions: What This Really Signals

If we step back, HaRBInger is not just about solving problems—it is about defining priorities.

Three deeper signals emerge:

• From Reactive to Preventive Finance
• From Complex Systems to Usable Security
• From Innovation Alone to Innovation Within Regulation

---

India’s Digital Payments Journey: Entering Phase Two

India’s digital payments ecosystem has already achieved scale.

The next phase is about:

• Resilience
• Security
• Trust consistency at scale

HaRBInger sits exactly at this transition point.

---

The Trust Stack: A Quiet Architecture in Motion

India’s fintech ecosystem is evolving into a layered architecture:

• Infrastructure
• Access
• Innovation
• Trust

HaRBInger strengthens the trust layer, where solutions are evaluated not just for performance—but for reliability and safety.

---

Connecting the Dots: Safety as the Defining Principle

Initiatives like this reinforce a broader and timely idea:

India’s digital payments journey must be anchored in safety, trust, and user confidence.

This also resonates with emerging citizen-led conversations around safe digital transactions, including:

April 11 – Digital Transactions Day (Proposed)

“The Joy of Digital Transactions”

Digital Payments are only a sub-set of Digital Transactions.

---

From Regulation to Co-Creation

A quiet transformation is underway.

Earlier:

• Innovation → Then regulation

Now:

• Innovation + Regulation → Co-created

The Reserve Bank of India is not just supervising fintech.
It is shaping its evolution.

---

What Will Define Success?

The real test of HaRBInger 2026 lies ahead:

• Do solutions move into real-world deployment?
• Do they reduce fraud meaningfully?
• Do they enhance user confidence?

Because:

Innovation that builds trust becomes infrastructure.

---

Closing Note

To the winners—congratulations.

To the Reserve Bank of India—this is institution-building in action.

And to India’s fintech ecosystem:

The future belongs not to the fastest systems—but to the most trusted ones.

---

The Joy of Digital Transactions

Nayakanti Prashant
Citizen Advocate – Digital Transactions Day (April 11, Proposed)

 

Author’s Blogs

https://prashantrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
https://prashantnepayments.blogspot.com
https://innovationinbanking.blogspot.com