PLATFORM FOR E-AUCTION OF PSB ATTACHED ASSETS LAUNCHED

NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Saturday launched a common e-auction platform for assets attached by the public sector banks (PSBS).

The platform, equipped with property search features and navigational links to all PSB e-auction sites, provides single-window access to information on properties up for e-auction as well as facility for comparison of properties. It also contains photographs and videos of uploaded properties, according to an official statement.

The public sector banks have attached Rs 2.3 lakh crore plus assets over the last three financial years and to enable online auction by banks of attached assets for improved realisation, the platform has been launched.

As on 27 December, the state-run banks have uploaded 35,000 properties on the platform, as per the statement.

The Finance Minister also met the public sector banks chiefs on Saturday and discussed the impact of the government reforms measures and the health of banks.

The Ministry has also decided that the Department of Revenue (DOR) will notify Rupay and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as the prescribed mode of payment for undertaking digital transactions without any charge or merchant discount rates (MDR).

All companies with Rs 50 crore or more turnover should be mandated by the DOR to provide the payment facility through Rupay debit card and UPI QR code to customers, it said.

All banks would start a campaign to popularise Rupay debit card and UPI, it added.