National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has recently introduced the autopay feature for recurring payments via any Unified Payments Interface (UPI) application. This autopay feature can be used to pay your electricity bills, mobile bills, loan payments, OTT subscription payments, EMI payments, etc.
Using this latest feature, you will be able to enable a recurring e-mandate via any UPI application for recurring payments of up to Rs 2,000. In case the amount is more than Rs 2,000, you will have to perform every mandate using the UPI PIN. The auto-debit mandate pattern has been introduced to help customers with their recurring payments.
A UPI-enabled app will have a ‘Mandate’ section; using this; you can set up, approve, alter, pause, and revoke the auto-debit mandate. With the help of this ‘Mandate’ section, you can view your past mandates as a reference. As a UPI user, you can set up an e-mandate via QR scan, UPI ID, or Intent. You have to authenticate your account via UPI PIN for once, following which the upcoming monthly payments will be debited automatically.
Also Read: COVID-19 Amplified Digital Payments in India Where Cash Ban Didn’t Work
This feature has been launched under NPCI’s UPI 2.0 platform. The objective of this new facility is to render convenience and safety to UPI users when they make recurring payments. The other features of UPI 2.0 include a one-time mandate, overdraft facility, foreign inward remittance, the invoice in the inbox, signed intent and QR, and several other features.
According to NPCI data, in terms of volume, payments via UPI witnessed an all-time high of 1.34 billion with transactions amounting to nearly Rs 2.62 lakh crore in June. In May, in terms of volume, payments via UPI stood at 1.23 billion; in June it recorded a growth of 8.94%.
The UPI AutoPay option is definitely a powerful addition to the various payment options which are already available to you. Considering how UPI is gaining more and more traction, we can surely say that UPI AutoPay has a long way to go.
For any clarifications/feedback on the topic, please contact the writer at bhavana.pn@cleartax.in
Bhavana is a Senior Content Writer handling the GST vertical. She is committed, professional, and has a flair for writing. When away from work, she enjoys watching movies and playing with her son. One thing she can’t resist is SHOPPING! Her favourite quote is: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”.
