Centre directs banks to issue cards with NCMC as default option

Meanwhile, the bank has said that while cards issued on the RuPay platform are compliant to NCMC, the struggle would be to introduce it in other payment networks.

The National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) might become a default option on all new cards, and reissues of old cards by banks. The government has asked the banks to have NCMC as the default option with contactless or near-field function facilities in the new cards, The Economic Times reported.

This instruction is anticipated to push banks to issue more cards on RuPay platform as most of the NCMC-enabled cards are on RuPay network.

What is NCMC?

NCMC is a mobility card that is contactless in nature. It comes with an inbuilt radio frequency antenna that allows transactions without entering a pin number. It can work both as a debit card and a wallet. At present, it is primarily used in transport systems. It can also be used for retail and online payments.

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Why is government pushing NCMC?

The ET report confirmed that the NCMC will enable the Centre to push one card for all payments across the nation. "It was observed that most lenders, including both private and public sector banks, are not issuing NCMC cards with NFC functions," a senior official told ET.

Meanwhile, the bank has said that while cards issued on the RuPay platform are compliant with NCMC, the struggle would be to introduce it in other payment networks.

The officials have confirmed that there will be a meeting to solve these issues and introduce this facility in other networks.