Recent statistics from Dubai Smart Government Department (DSG) have revealed that its ePay system for online payment of Dubai government fees witnessed a 25 percent increase from the previous year generating approximately Dh 7 billion in 2014.
The uptrend was accompanied by a 16 percent increase in the number of transactions and an increase in the number of entities using ePay to 30 entities, up from 25 entities in 2013.
The ePay system enables customers to pay for government services online and in a secure environment.
Approximately AED 7 billion was collected through DSG's ePay system in 2014, through 5,260,677 transactions compared to Dh 5.6 billion, through 4,546,865 transactions in 2013. This has led to substantial benefits in terms of reducing government expenses using a centralised payment system for most Dubai government entities.
"These results clearly demonstrate the increasing pace of the electronic and smart transformation process in Dubai and our success in fulfilling the vision of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for providing a world-class smart government in Dubai to ease the lives of all segments of the society and make them happy. This is substantiated not only by the growing interest of customers in using the ePay service to complete their government transactions but also by their growing confidence in this highly efficient and secure option," said Ahmad Bin Humaidan, Director General of DSG, in his comment on this progress achieved in the adoption of electronic and smart services.
Bin Humaidan added, "The positive effects of electronic payment are not restricted to supporting the national economy and providing customers with open options for payment through multiple channels but extend to environmental sustainability, which is a mainstay of the green economy called for by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in his future vision for the UAE when he launched the UAE green development strategy under the slogan 'Green Economy for Sustainable Development', a long-term national initiative aimed at converting the UAE to a leading global centre in green development free of pollution resulting from the customer's use of transport and of the effect of exhaust on global warming." The ePay services enables individual and business customers to electronically pay for many government services. These include electricity bills, transport services, police fines, customs and health services and donations to worthy causes. ePay can be used easily either through credit cards, eDirham or direct debit from the seven banks participating in the service; namely: CBD, DIB, ADCB, ADIB, UNB, EIB and Emirates NBD.
The ePay system is part of Dubai Smart Government's strategy to provide government services through innovative and smart channels in order to facilitate government transactions. It is designed in such a manner that allows it to be connected with most of the smart/eServices of government entities, irrespective of the technologies and software used by them. It is also compatible with all means of electronic payment including the Internet, kiosks, interactive voice response (IVR) and major credit cards based on the needs of the entities participating in it. Users can also pay ePay fees through their smart phones.
Source: WAM