In a bid to allow citizens to travel across India with a single card and making it easier to pay for public transport, Ministry of Urban Affairs has announced a new initiative called ‘One Nation One Card.’
The One Nation One Card can be used to pay for all types of public transport, including buses, metro, trains, toll taxes, parking charges, etc. It can also be used for retail shopping and for withdrawing money.
The card is National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) compliant and is powered by RuPay card payment scheme by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). You can get the One Nation One Card through the bank and so far 25 banks are equipped to provide this card, including State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, and Paytm Payments Bank.
Transport Benefits
- The One Nation One Card can be used to pay for all means of transportation, including buses, trains, and metros.
- It can also be used to make payments for toll taxes and parking charges.
- It also supports operator specific applications such as monthly passes, season tickets etc.
- The transportation benefits of the card are not limited to a particular city and can be used across the country.
Shopping Benefits & Rewards
- Since the card is powered by RuPay, it can be used for shopping as well as ATM withdrawal.
- Using RuPay card at an ATM offers 5% cashback.
- Using the card at merchant outlets while traveling abroad offers 10% cashback.
- It has a quick payment option, thanks to the support for contactless payments.
- It is also accepted at Discover and Diners Club International merchants and ATMs.
Availability
- The One Nation One Card can be issued by 25 partner banks, including State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, and Paytm Payments Bank. You will have to contact your bank to get the card.
For this initiative to work, a first of its kind homegrown AFC system has been developed under ‘Make in India’ initiative. It is called the Swachalit Kiraya Automatic Fare Collection System (SWEEKAR) and Swachalit Gate (SWAGAT) which constructs a common payment eco-system based on NCMC standards. The gate and reader prototype is made by government-owned Bharat Electronics Limited.
