Smart Card to pay all utility bills

A senior Corporation official said that the Smart Card will exclusively be for Chennai. “The card can be used for payments across several departments, including Corporation, Metro Water, Electricity Board and Aavin booths. 

It can also be swiped to avail public amenities – for example, to pay at the Corporation’s upcoming parking management systems or to use the government-run swimming pools or libraries,” the official added. 

The card can be purchased at the government e-seva centres, for a nominal cost. “The Smart Card will function like a debit card and can be topped up online or at e-seva centres. The one-time charge for the card will range from Rs 20-50 approximately. Tenders will be opened for financial banking partner and vendor for implementation of infrastructure. For instance, many offices don’t have a POS facility, which we will set up before issuing these cards,” added the official. The Corporation is opting for an ‘open loop’ card, which can be used not only for government services but also in other retail outlets.