ONDC,

4. OPEN NETWORK FOR DIGITAL COMMERCE (ONDC)

As the platform recently surpassed the 10,000 daily order mark, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is all set to 

change the duopoly in online food delivery services in India by cutting down the middleman between the business and 

the consumer. Currently, the service is live in select cities like Bengaluru, and ONDC is said to benefit both businesses and 

customers at the same time.

WHAT IS ONDC?

• ONDC is being established as a first-of-its-kind initiative globally to pave the way for reimagining digital 

commerce in India and establishing a globally replicable model for digital commerce.

• It represents a paradigm shift from an operator-driven monolithic platform-centric model, where the 

buyer and seller must be part of the same platform/ application to enable transactions between them. Instead, 

it encourages a facilitator-driven, interoperable decentralised network, where buyers and sellers can 

transact no matter what platform/application they use to be digitally visible/available enabling the flow of value.

• It will be an open network developed on open protocols based on open-source specifications with 

established registries, enabling wide-scale participation by digital commerce ecosystem players in India 

through multiple gateways.

ONDC is a network that enables location-aware, local digital commerce stores across industries to be discovered

and engaged by any network-enabled applications. It is neither a super aggregator app nor a hosting

platform. All existing digital commerce apps and platforms can voluntarily choose to adopt and be a part of

the ONDC network. In addition, the responsibility for onboarding of sellers and buyers and the management of

the end-to-end order lifecycle will also continue to reside with the network-enabled applications.

• ONDC will enable large-scale democratisation of digital commerce in India by providing a level playing

field for large and small digital commerce apps and platforms through the

5. BHARAT BILLPAY PAYMENT SYSTEM

• Bharat BillPay was conceptualised by the RBI.

• One-stop ecosystem for payment of all bills like electricity, telecom, DTH, gas, water bills, etc. and other

repetitive payments like insurance premium, mutual funds, school fees, institution fees, credit cards.

• Transaction can be initiated through multiple payment channels like Internet, Mobile-Banking, Mobile

Wallets, Kiosk, ATM, Bank and Business Correspondents

• The NPCI has been authorized by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as the Bharat Bill Payment Central Unit

(BBPCU). It is responsible for setting standards, rules, and procedures for all participants. The BBPCU also

undertakes clearing and settlement activities related to transactions routed through BBPS.

• The BBPCU will be the nodal agency for providing a framework for the redressal of consumer disputes and also

provide guaranteed settlement of all transactions routed through NBBL and will ensure all transactions have

BBPS reference number from the payment initiation stage.

• Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) is now integrated with UPI to facilitate fetch & payment for transactions.

Registered under UPI Autopay mandates. In line with this integration, UPI Autopay has been introduced as a

separate payment mode in the BBPS.

• All participating COUs and BOUs shall be integrated to the centralised system and enable the customers and

billers to raise and resolve disputes in accordance with the dispute resolution framework of NBBL.

• NBBL shall put in place a dispute resolution framework for centralised end-to-end complaint management in

compliance with RBI’s guidelines.

• Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOUs): Banks (All Scheduled Commercial Banks including RRBs /

Urban Cooperative Banks / State Cooperative Banks / District Central Cooperative Banks), non-bank Payment

Aggregators and other existing entities authorized as BBPOUs can participate in BBPS as Operating Units. Banks

and non-bank PAs, intending to operate as BBPOUs, will not require a separate authorization.

• Bharat Bill Pay Central Unit (BBPCU): NBBL as the BBPCU, provides a platform connecting customers and

billers, through COUs and BOUs, respectively. NBBL also undertakes clearing and settlement activities for

transactions routed through the BBPCU.

• Bharat Bill Pay Central Unit (BBPCU): BBPCU is the entity which operates BBPS; sets operational, technical,

and business standards, and also undertakes clearing and settlement functions. NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd. (NBBL)

is the authorised BBPCU.