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UPI for Feature Phones from RBI

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On Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced UPI123Pay, a new digital payment option for feature phones based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The UPI system has so far been restricted to smartphones with internet access. India’s mobile phone population is estimated to be at 180 million. 78 crore of these people have smartphones, while the remaining 78 crores have feature phones. Due to the phone they use, tens of thousands of users have been unable to do UPI transactions. The central bank of India introduced this new payment mechanism to incorporate all such users and bring them into the mainstream of digital payments.

“UPI123Pay would enable NPCI to accomplish its goal of a billion or more daily UPI transactions,” said Biswamohan Mahapatra, head of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the country’s umbrella organization for retail digital payments.

Working of UPI on Feature Phones?

Users will be able to conduct UPI transactions on feature phones using UPI 123Pay. Except for the scan and pay UPI option available for smartphones, consumers will be able to use all other functionalities. Transactions with the new digital payment mode don’t require an internet connection. To utilize the UPI 123Pay service, people must link their bank accounts to their feature phones. People with feature phones can now use the UPI 123Pay option for a variety of payments, from person to person to the merchant. UPI 123Pay would employ Hindi and English as their primary languages at first.

“We feel that the novel functions available on feature phones would give UPI a boost in many geographies across the country, transforming the way payments are perceived,” Mahapatra said.

UPI: India’s Most Popular Payment Method

In recent years, UPI has become one of India’s most popular payment methods. UPI is the country’s single largest retail payment system in terms of transaction volume.

“A substantial portion of digitalization is limited to people with smartphones, notwithstanding our tremendous growth in digital payments.” “About 40 crore feature phone users had limited access to digital payments,” said T Rabi Sankar, deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India. He stated that the goal is to attract a significant number of feature phone users into the UPI payment system.

“To further popularise the usage of digital payments, a framework for retail offline payments across the country has been proposed.” This announcement has its roots in a series of successful pilot studies. The results of these experiments strongly suggest that there is more leeway for digital payment-related solutions, particularly in rural areas. According to Nitin Mathur, CEO of Tavaga Advisory Services, “the RBI is enthusiastic about expanding the ease of doing business in India as well as more innovative fintech prospects to capitalize on” as a result of this development.

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Navi Mumbai Durga Puja Associations Pay Tribute to Late Ratan Tata

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As the nation mourns the loss of Shri Ratan Tata, an industrialist, visionary leader, and philanthropist, various Durga Puja associations across Navi Mumbai have come together to honor his remarkable legacy during the ongoing Navaratri festivities.

The Vashi Cultural Association, celebrating Durga Puja in Sector 14, paid tribute by displaying a photograph of Tata on a giant LED screen with an “RIP” note, and attendees observed a minute of silence before cultural events. Similarly, the Seawoods Cultural Welfare Association, hosting Durga Puja at Ganapati Tandel Ground, showcased Tata’s image on a large screen, with committee member Gautam Chakraborty delivering a speech on his philanthropic contributions.

The Navi Mumbai Bengali Association also observed a moment of silence during cultural events, sharing an anecdote on Tata’s life and accomplishments. Shri Gujarat Bhavan in Vashi canceled their Rass Garba on 10th October as a mark of respect, while the Lohana Samaj Navaratri Mandal in Koparkhairane held a minute of silence before their Dandiya sessions, reflecting on Tata’s vision.

Ratan Tata’s last rites were held on 10th October at Worli crematorium with state honors. Dignitaries including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel attended the ceremony. Citizens are now calling for Tata to be posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, in recognition of his lasting contributions to the nation.

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When The Unlicensed Driver Pressed The Accelerator Rather Than The Brake, The Kharghar Joyride Turned Tragic

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Kharghar Joyride Turns Tragic As Unlicensed Driver Hits Accelerator Instead Of Brake.

The Ride

Six Engineering College students were on a joyride when their automobile struck a divider and overturned in an attempt to avoid a pothole, resulting in one death and one injury. The automobile’s driver, Arnav Birari (18), accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake while attempting to avoid a pothole on the road heading to Gurudwara in Kharghar. This caused the car to collide with the road divider and overturn.

Birari and his five pals from NMIM College in Kharghar decided to have a joy ride in his father’s automobile on Tuesday afternoon, which is when the event occurred. Darsh Jain (18) was recognized as the deceased student, and Yash Maurya (18) was identified as the injured student. Paik Sawariya (18), Kumari Agrim Parashar (18), and the case’s complainant, Atharv Rawat (18), were the other passengers in the vehicle. They were all freshmen studying computer engineering at Kharghar’s N.M.I.M. College.

On October 8, Birari had driven his father’s Wagon R vehicle to college. He took five of his classmates on a trip in Kharghar around 1:15 p.m. He was trying to dodge a pothole on the road in front of a Gurudwara. The car scraped the road divider when he swung the steering wheel to the right. Police said that Birari became confused and pressed the accelerator rather than the brake, sending the car hurtling ahead and crashing into the road barrier, which caused it to topple over.

A stone used to build the divider struck the rear right window glass when the automobile overturned, striking Jain’s head and seriously injuring him. When the physicians arrived at the hospital, they proclaimed Jain dead, but all of the students were able to exit the vehicle, pull him out, and rush him there. After the preliminary inquiry, Kharghar police discovered that Birari, the driver, lacked a driver’s license and filed a complaint against him for his careless driving without a permit and negligence that resulted in death.

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Residents Of Uran Want NMMT Bus Services To Resume

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Uran residents demand the resumption of NMMT bus services.

The Service

Students, workers, and business people’s daily commutes have been significantly hampered by the several-month-long suspension of Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) bus services in Uran. Residents have been forced to rely on expensive and unreliable private transportation due to the lack of public transportation, which has caused major delays and inconvenience.

Private vehicle drivers are harassing local commuters and charging exorbitant prices, especially for those going to Navi Mumbai for business or school. Given these difficulties, Uran City Congress Committee members, Morning Katta leaders, and senior residents met with Dr. Kailas Shinde, Commissioner of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), to insist on the immediate restoration of NMMT bus services.

The group emphasized how the lack of dependable public transportation has interfered with daily routines and the general annoyance of Uran locals. To further encourage the return of bus services, a signature drive was launched as a gesture of support.

In response to the citizens’ worries, Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde gave them his word that action would be done to promptly resume NMMT bus service in Uran. Prakash Patil, the president of the Uran City Congress Committee, Abhay Ved Pathak, former corporator Afsha Mukari, and other local leaders attended the gathering and emphasized the importance of the service for the welfare of the community.

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