The partnership builds on the learnings of the “UPI for Her” program,developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Women’s World Banking (WWB) and aimed at accelerating Unified Payments Interface (UPI) adoption among an addressable market of 200 million women.
Udaipur (Dr. Tuktak Bhanawat) : Rajasthan Gramin Bank (RGB), NPCI BHIM, and Women’s World Banking today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate digital payments adoption among women in rural Rajasthan, with a goal of reaching three lakh women in one year through the BHIM Payments App. Inspired by the success of India’s digital public infrastructure and UPI ecosystem, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between access and active usage of digital payments among women in deep rural communities.
Launched in Udaipur in the presence of leaders from Rajasthan Gramin Bank, NPCI BHIM, Women’s World Banking, government and ecosystem stakeholders, the event also brought together more than 100 women from rural Rajasthan who have successfully adopted the BHIM Payments App for their everyday financial transactions.
This initiative forms part of UPI for Her 2.0, which builds on research identifying approximately 200 million women in India who own a smartphone and have a bank account and are therefore well positioned to adopt UPI with the right support, confidence, and user-centered solutions.
India has built one of the world’s most successful digital payments ecosystems through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), transforming how people send, receive, and manage money. While adoption has grown rapidly, women in rural and underserved communities continue to face barriers related to trust, confidence, awareness, and usage. This partnership addresses these barriers through a combination of trusted local banking relationships, women-centered design, community engagement, and hands-on support.
The initiative builds on the trust rural communities place in Rajasthan Gramin Bank and the trust users place in the BHIM Payments App for secure, easy-to-use digital payments. Together, the partners will develop and implement approaches that help women confidently adopt and actively use digital payments as part of their daily financial lives.
The project will generate insights and evidence on how to accelerate digital payments adoption among rural women at scale. Learnings from Rajasthan are expected to inform strategies and interventions across the state and contribute to broader national efforts to expand women’s participation in India’s digital economy.
Ms Lalitha Nataraj, MD and CEO, NPCI BHIM, said, “For India’s digital payments revolution to reach its full potential, women, especially those from low-income communities, must be more than participants; they must be drivers of change. Digital payments can help women manage their finances, access a wider range of services and build a more secure future for themselves and their families. More than 100 women in rural Rajasthan have already adopted the BHIM Payments App for their everyday transactions and experienced its benefits. In partnership with Rajasthan Gramin Bank and Women’s World Banking, we are working to extend this opportunity to more women across the state. As we continue this journey, we remain committed to fostering an inclusive digital economy one where every woman has the opportunity to thrive.”
Mr Mukesh Bhartia, Chairman, Rajasthan Gramin Bank, said,“Regional Rural Banks have a unique relationship of trust with rural communities. By combining that trust with BHIM’s digital capabilities, we can help women take their first steps into digital financial services and ensure that the benefits of India’s digital infrastructure reach every village and household.”
Ms Kalpana Ajayan, Regional Head- South Asia, Women’s World Banking, said:“Trust is often the single most important factor influencing whether women adopt and use digital financial services. For many women, digital payments are not simply a transaction tool. They are the first step toward becoming visible in the formal financial system and a step further in enabling resilience amid climate and health shocks. Once a woman regularly uses digital payments, she creates a pathway to access a broader range of financial services, including savings, credit, insurance, and financial protection solutions. By combining the trusted relationships that Rajasthan Gramin Bank has built over decades with women-centered design and community support, this partnership can help thousands of women participate more fully in Rajasthan’s growing digital economy.”
Beyond onboarding women onto the BHIM Payments App, the initiative will focus on building confidence, increasing regular usage, and creating local support systems that encourage sustained adoption.
The launch event featured discussions on the future of digital inclusion, a guided walkthrough of the BHIM Payments App, and conversations with women users who shared how digital payments are helping them manage household finances, receive payments, save time, and participate more actively in local commerce.
As Rajasthan continues to strengthen its digital ecosystem, the partnership demonstrates how trusted local institutions, digital public infrastructure, and women-centered innovation can work together to ensure that the next generation of digital payments users includes millions of women who have historically remained at the margins of the formal financial system.
