ICICI Bank launches ‘iMobile Pay’
India’s first app that offers payments and banking services for all
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Customers of any bank can link their bank account, generate a UPI ID and start paying and shopping immediately
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They also get instant access to the entire range of ICICI Bank’s banking services
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They can transfer money to any bank account, payment app and digital wallet
Mumbai: ICICI Bank today announced that it has transformed its state-of-the-art mobile banking app, iMobile, into an app that offers payments and banking services to customers of any bank. Called ‘iMobile Pay’, the app offers a unique combination of facilities of a payment app-- such as enabling customers to pay to any UPI (Unified Payments Interface) ID or merchants, pay bills and do online recharges among others-- with instant banking services namely savings account, investments, loans, credit cards, gift cards, travel cards and much more. The users of ‘iMobile Pay’ can also transfer money to any bank account, payment app and digital wallet.
Another prominent feature of ‘iMobile Pay’ is ‘pay to contacts’ which enable users to automatically see the UPI IDs of their phone book contacts, registered on the ICICI Bank UPI ID network, of any payment app and digital wallet. This unique functionality provides users a significant convenience of inter-operability, as they no longer have to remember the UPI IDs and can easily transfer money across payment app and digital wallet.
A first-of-its-kind facility in India, ‘iMobile Pay’ extends the ambit of mobile banking apps which are hitherto restricted to only the customers of the respective banks. At the same time, ‘iMobile Pay’ eliminates the need to maintain multiple apps—be payments or banking—as it empowers customers to undertake all transactions. In the process, it also offers compelling reasons for users to link their multiple bank accounts to this app.
To get started on ‘iMobile Pay’, customers of any bank in the country can download the app, instantly link their bank accounts and generate a UPI ID (which is simply their mobile number e.g. xxxxxx1234.imb@icici) to avail all the facilities.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Anup Bagchi, Executive Director, ICICI Bank said, “ICICI Bank has always been at the forefront of introducing pioneering innovations. These innovations have played a key role in transforming the way digital India banks. In line with this rich tradition, we introduced the country’s first mobile banking app, iMobile, in 2008.
In the recent past, we have captured two user insights while interacting with them. One, many of them, who are not our customers, are keen to use iMobile. Two, customers are tired of using multiple apps for difference purposes and they really want to know if an app can take care of all banking and payments requirements. Armed with these insights, we are delighted to extend the ambit of our mobile banking app. Now on, customers of any bank can experience the ease, speed and safety of our mobile banking app. They can link all their bank accounts to this app. It means they can continue to bank with any bank and still use ‘iMobile Pay’ for all their digital transactions. Also, they can undertake all transactions, which they were so far doing through a gamut of payments app, through this app.
We believe that users will like this innovation as it offers them the unique benefit of payment apps and banking apps in one single place.
“ Mr. Dilip Asbe, MD & CEO, NPCI said, “We are delighted to facilitate ICICI Bank in transforming its mobile banking app empowered with UPI and interoperable with all other UPI based payment apps. This is yet another initiative that will inspire the ecosystem to integrate interoperability on digital platforms. UPI is known to provide seamless, secure and convenient payment experience to its users and it is our belief that the large scale adoption of UPI will strengthen the ecosystem and help in achieving the common goal of less- cash society.”
Over the years, marquee research agencies have adjudged iMobile as one of the best banking apps in the world for its large array of services, user-friendly functionalities and intuitive design. For example, iMobile has been rated among top ranking apps for the past five consecutive years by Forrester, a reputed global research firm.
The key features of ‘iMobile Pay’ are:
Open for all: ‘iMobile Pay’ enables customers of all banks to download this app and experience the quick transactions backed by best-in-class security features
Acts like a payments app: It allows customers to scan a QR code of any payments app and send money to any UPI ID, bank account, self. It helps the users to transfer the money instantly to anyone free-of-cost. Further, users can pay using the app at a host of establishments including petrol pumps, grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, hospitals, multiplexes and much more. Further, they can transfer money to any bank account, payment app or digital wallet.
As an industry-first, users can simply use the ‘Pay to contact’ feature without remembering UPI IDs of friends. Using the feature, users can send or receive money to/from their phone contacts registered on any other popular payment app and digital wallet with an ICICI Bank UPI ID. The feature, relying on inter-operability, automatically displays upto three UPI IDs available for a contact to which one can pay.
Offers banking services: It also acts as a gateway for the customers to begin a new relationship with ICICI Bank. It allows them to open an ICICI Bank savings account digitally and instantaneously, apply for a credit card at zero joining fee and get instant approval for home/personal/car loans.
Enables users to link multiple bank accounts: Users can transact using any of these linked accounts with a single UPI ID which is generated at the time of linking the first account.
Lot more to be added soon: The list of forthcoming exciting features include users can pay utility bills, recharge mobile phones, check CIBIL score, book travel tickets, buy travel and gift cards, invest in an FD, RD, mutual funds and insurances. They will also get a feature of spends tracker, that will provide an overview of spends, with all transactions are bucketed into specific categories, to help them track their balances.
Here are the simple steps to start using the app:
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Download: Download the app, ‘iMobile Pay’, from Google Play Store, open it and set up a four-digit log-in PIN. Users also have the option of logging in using their fingerprint. Please note that it will soon be available for iOS devices.
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Link account/s: On the welcome screen, tap on ‘link account’ and enter the required details to link the savings account of any bank. Users can also link multiple bank accounts.
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Generate UPI ID: Upon successful linking of the account/s, a UPI ID will be generated, which can be used to start making transactions. The UPI ID generated will remain the same for all the linked bank accounts. Users can simply select the account of their choice, while making a transaction.
To know more on the facility, visit: https://www.icicibank.com/mobile-banking/imobilepay.page; To download the app, visit Google Play Store.
For news and updates, visit www.icicibank.com and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ICICIBank
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MP HC sets up judicial commission to probe water contamination in Indore
Indore (PTI): The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry comprising a former HC judge to probe the issue of water contamination in city's Bhagirathpura, saying the matter requires probe by an independent, credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny".
It also directed the commission to submit an interim report after four weeks from the date of commencement of proceedings.
A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the commission while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously regarding the deaths of several people in Bhagirathpura due to the consumption of contaminated water.
The HC reserved the order after hearing all the parties during the day, and released it late at night.
The state government on Tuesday told the HC that the deaths of 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area was possibly linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The government presented an audit report of 23 deaths from the current gastroenteritis epidemic in Bhagirathpura before the bench, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities may have been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.
The report, prepared by a committee of five experts from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of four people in Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, while no conclusion could be reached regarding the cause of death of three other people in the area.
During the hearing, the high court sought to know from the state government the scientific basis behind its report.
The division bench also expressed surprise at the state government's use of the term "verbal autopsy" in relation to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the term for the first time.
The HC expressed concern over the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the situation was "alarming," and noted that cases of people falling ill due to contaminated drinking water have also been reported in Mhow, near Indore.
In its order, the HC said the serious issue concerning contamination of the drinking water supply in Bhagirathpura area allegedly resulted in widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons.
According to the petitioners and media reports, death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record, it said.
It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage in the pipeline, and failure of civic authorities to maintain potable water standards have led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, medical reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie indicate a matter requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.
"Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the need for an independent fact-finding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter requires investigation by an independent, credible authority," it said.
"Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, former judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the HC added.
As per the order, the commission shall inquire into and submit a report on the cause of contamination -- whether the drinking water supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the source and nature of contamination (sewage ingress, industrial discharge, pipeline damage etc).
The panel will also probe the number of actual deaths of affected residents on account of contaminated water; find out the nature of disease reported and adequacy of medical response and preventive measures; suggest immediate steps required to ensure safe drinking water as well as long-term infrastructural and monitoring reforms.
It will also identify and fix responsibility upon the officers and officials found prima facie responsible for the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, particularly vulnerable sections.
The commission shall have powers of a civil court for the purpose of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the government department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering water quality testing through accredited laboratories; conducting spot inspections.
All state authorities involving district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, public health engineering department and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall extend full co-operation and provide records as sought by the commission, it said.
The state government shall provide office space, staff, and logistical support to the commission, it said.
During the hearing in the day, the state government also presented a status report to the court in this matter.
According to reports, a total of 454 patients were admitted to local hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhea outbreak, of whom 441 have been discharged after treatment, and 11 are currently hospitalised.
According to officials, due to a leak in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was also mixed in the water.
