New simple USSD for feature mobile handset in 15-20 days

Amid cash crunch due to demonetisation, a more user friendly and simple version of Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) used on feature mobile phones for making cashless payments will be rolled out in next 15 days.
"NCPI is already working to make USSD (*99#) very simple, convenient, robust and to link it with UPI. So in another 15-20 days, we will have a very new version of USSD with many strong and robust easy to handle features," NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant told reporters in a press conference here.
At present there are about 400 million feature mobile handset users in the country. The move will push the digital transaction in a big way particularly in rural areas where penetration of smart phone and Internet is skewed.

Kant, who is member of a panel with chief ministers of different political parties on board to examine and promote the use of digital payment systems across the country, was talking to the media after the committee members meeting with RBI and heads of various banks in Mumbai.
Besides, the panel is also working out ways to achieve inter-operatibility of unified payment interface of various banks. This will enable account holders to use their banks' UPI with a subscribers of other banks' UPI for making and receiving cashless payments.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu who is the Convener of the panel said, "There was an issue of inter-operatibiity of UPI of various banks in today's meeting. We are working on inter-operatibilty of UPI of different banks."

Naidu also said that Aadhaar enabled payment system is a low hanging fruit for moving toward digital economy.

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The committee on digital payment will submit its interim report to the Centre within next two-three days.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu said the committee is exploring the possibility of the use of technology to simplify the digital payment procedures, and added the best practices followed across the world will be incorporated.
Naidu said the main thrust of meeting with bankers in Mumbai was how to make it possible to enable the delivery of low denomination currency to common man.

He also said Rs 500 notes will adequately be made available to the public by December 15.
Talking about Andhra Pradesh, Naidu said every household in the state will be provided Internet connectivity with 15 MBPS speed.
The proposal involves an expenditure of Rs 330 crore. The services include the provision of all TV channels and video conferencing facility at a nominal cost of 149 rupees per month.