PM MODI LAUNCHES APP FOR AADHAAR-BASED PAYMENTS THROUGH BHIM

The National Payments Corporation of India on Friday announced the launch of a mobile application for Aadhaar-based payments through the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app for merchants. The service was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Nagpur on Friday. The new service will allow customers to make purchases using their Aadhaar number linked with their bank account. The transaction will require a customer’s fingerprint for authentication.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the mobile application for Aadhaar-based payments through the Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) app for merchants, in Nagpur.

The new service will allow customers to make purchases using their Aadhaar numbers linked to their bank account. The transaction will require a customer's fingerprint for authentication. “It is a huge opportunity for enabling digital transactions, as about 99 per cent of the adult population is now Aadhaar-enabled,” National Payments Corporation of India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, A P Hota said.

Currently, 30 banks are participating on BHIM Aadhaar and more shall be on-board, NPCI said. BHIM Aadhaar would be applicable for retail merchants only and not for corporate merchants, it said.

BHIM is a smart mobile phone-based app, based on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) that allows simple, easy and quick payment transactions.

The app is now available on Google play store and iOS, NPCI said.

Modi also visited ‘Deekshabhoomi’ where B R Ambedkar, architect of the Constitution, had embraced Buddhism 61 years ago. The PM claimed previous Congress governments failed to give the Dalit icon his due for contribution to nation building.