RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Tuesday launched the most awaited Unified Payments Interface (UPI) facility for feature smartphones.

This new service — UPI 123PAY –will enable over 40 crore feature phone users to access the popular digital transactions platform, without having an internet connection.

“Till now, multifaceted features of UPI are mostly available only on smartphones, which excludes people from the lower rung of the society from an economic perspective, especially in rural areas, from accessing the popular service,” PTI quoted RBI Governor Shashikant Das.

“The UPI volumes have touched to ₹76 lakh crore in FY22 so far, as against ₹41 lakh crore in FY21. The day is not far when the overall volumes will touch ₹100 lakh crore,” he added.

UPI has emerged as one of the most popular modes of payments in India over the past few years, especially after demonetization and the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the single largest retail payments system in the country in terms of volume of transactions.

Feature phone users will now be able to undertake a host of transactions, such as payments to friends and family, payment of utility bills, recharging of vehicle FAST Tags, payment of mobile bills, and checking account balances.

All these services can be accessed via four alternatives:

1. An IVR (interactive voice response) system that users can call to make a transaction.

2. A mobile phone app (for simpler phones) in which all transactions available on a UPI app on a smartphone will be offered, except for the feature to scan and pay.

3. Missed call-based approach in which users can send a missed call to initiate transactions.

4. Proximity sound-based payments.

A 24×7 helpline for digital payments was also launched by Das on Tuesday, which has been set up by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The helpline – named ‘Digisaathi’ – will assist callers/users with all their queries on digital payments via website and chatbot.v

Feature phone users will now be able to undertake a host of transactions, such as payments to friends and family, payment of utility bills, recharging of vehicle FAST Tags, payment of mobile bills, and checking account balances.

All these services can be accessed via four alternatives:

1. An IVR (interactive voice response) system that users can call to make a transaction.

2. A mobile phone app (for simpler phones) in which all transactions available on a UPI app on a smartphone will be offered, except for the feature to scan and pay.

3. Missed call-based approach in which users can send a missed call to initiate transactions.

4. Proximity sound-based payments.

A 24×7 helpline for digital payments was also launched by Das on Tuesday, which has been set up by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The helpline – named ‘Digisaathi’ – will assist callers/users with all their queries on digital payments via website and chatbot.