IMGCAP(1)]
A Delhi-based company wants to use mobile phones to distribute payments to workers under a rural welfare scheme operated by the government. The company, Suvidha Starnet, has submitted a proposal to the government, which operates the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, a spokesperson for the firm tells CardLine Global. Terms were not disclosed. The government is struggling with the disbursement of wages under the scheme and has been looking to employ private institutions, according to press reports. The Delhi firm offers a service called Beam that enables consumers to pay bills, send gift payments and buy airline tickets using text messages, voice calls or the Internet. The service has 350,000 subscribers. For the welfare scheme "we are proposing that we will top up Beam accounts on behalf of the government for the people who benefit from the scheme," he adds. "Of course this means that the individual must have a mobile [phone]."
