About e-Rupi Voucher:

• Thus e-RUPI is a one-time contactless, cashless voucher-based mode of payment.
• It helps users redeem the voucher without a card, digital payments app, or internet banking access.

For example, if the Government wants to cover a particular treatment of an employee in a specified hospital, it can issue an e-RUPI voucher to that employee. The employee will receive an SMS or a QR Code on his feature phone / smart phone.  He/she can go to the specified hospital, avail of the services and pay through the e-RUPI voucher received on his phone.

Purpose: It is designed to be a person and purpose-specific digital payment solution. It seeks to ensure that government schemes reach intended beneficiaries in a targeted and leak-proof manner, with limited touchpoints between the government and the beneficiary.

Developed by: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in collaboration with the  Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Union Health Ministry, and the National Health Authority (NHA).

What is the significance of e-Rupi?

• Unlike other digital payment formats, e-Rupi does not require beneficiaries to have a bank account.
• e-Rupi works on basic phones also and hence it can be used by people who do not own smartphones or in places that lack an internet connection, thereby promoting offline payments.
• It will ensure leak-proof delivery of welfare services. It can be used for delivering services under schemes, meant for providing drugs and nutritional support like Ayushman Bharat fertilizer subsidies, etc.
• The private sector can leverage these digital vouchers as part of its employee welfare and corporate social responsibility programs.

Source: Indian Economy (core)