PM Modi steps in to boost Bhim app

New Delhi: Keen to increase usage of the state-owned the state-run Bhim (Bharat Interface for Money) app for digital transactions, especially in key public dealing sectors like food and civil supplies, railways and postal departments, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed top officials to fix targets for digital transactions through BHIM app and meet them by August 15.

Mr Modi, highly-placed sources informed this newspaper, gave specific directions regarding enhancing the usage of Bhim app in a recent meeting with top officials of all Central ministries. He categorically told officials from the key departments like food and civil supplies, railways and posts — which have maximum people interface and involve huge volumes of financial transactions — to set targets for such transactions through the state-owned app.

The Prime Minister’s emphasis and sense of urgency on greater usage of the app stems from the fact that it has failed to garner much customers in comparison to other united payments interface (UPI) based platforms like Paytm.

According to the data available with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), while Bhim app’s volume of usage was 87.9 million during 2017-18, the volume of other UPI based apps’ volume was a humongous 825.12 million during the same period.

Similarly in April 2018 itself, while Bhim’s payment volume was 12.6 million, the volume of other apps was 177.3 million.

Top sources said the very fact that the Prime Minister has set an ambitious August 15 deadline for these departments to promote digital transactions through Bhim app highlights the growing concern in the government over the poor response to its digital platform.

In the meeting, the Prime Minister, sources further added, also directed Cabinet secretary P.K. Sinha to hold a review meeting with the department of financial services of the finance ministry to look into issues of bank transaction charges.