Barely three days after its launch at the at the Digi Dhan Mela event in Delhi, Aadhaar-based mobile payment app called BHIM has now emerged as the most popular mobile app on Google Play. The app which was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has registered the maximum downloads of any free Android app in India.
The new e-wallet app has been named after Dr BR Ambedkar.
The ‘BHIM’ app which stands for Bharat Interface for Money is developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and is available for Android smartphones via Google Play Store.
BHIM is supported by a host of banks, including State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, Bank of India, Canara Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and Punjab National Bank, among others.
The app, which can be downloaded from Google Play, is currently available in Hindi and English, and support for more languages is expected soon. BHIM is interoperable with other Unified Payment Interface (UPI) applications and bank accounts.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use it:
- Anyone with a working phone and a bank account linked to that phone number can use the app. Users can send and receive money directly to bank accounts.
- Download the app from Google Play Store. It will automatically use the user’s phone number to identify and link his/her bank account. If one wishes to use a different account, it can be changed manually. Only one account can be linked to the app at a time.
- Just like any other e-wallet, the app also allows users to scan QR codes through which they can send and receive money.
- Users without internet connection or smartphones can use it by dialing *99# from any kind of mobile phone. It will show a menu – by typing in different numbers one can choose to send money, check your balance, or see transaction history.
- The BHIM app has certain limitations. It is Rs. 10,000 per transaction and Rs. 20,000 per day.
(With inputs from PTI)