Vodafone M-Pesa enables e-money collection for WaterPoint Services in Bathinda

CHANDIGARH: To ensure that the populace of Bathinda region enjoys uninterrupted access to clean drinking water being provided by WaterPoints (WP), Vodafone M-Pesa has joined hands with WaterPoints Services Pvt Ltd, which runs and operates WPs. WaterPoints Services Pvt Ltd, formerly known as HealthPoint Servics India Pvt Ltd, delivers improved health to low income–rural & small town communities in Punjab via clean drinking water facilities.

WaterPoint works to reduce morbidity due to water borne diseases by making high quality low cost drinking water available through a network of sustainable community–based water treatment units set up in the villages and small towns. In Bathinda region, which suffers from lack of supply of adequate amount of clean drinking water, it is providing safe drinking water to about 6,00,000 users daily.

Vodafone explained that before partnering with its M-Pesa, WP units/plants faced a challenge of cash being deposited on a daily basis and collating of reports for the same. As per the operational procedure, plant operator had to travel to nearest bank or handover cash collected to the designated people twice a week. With the introduction of Vodafone M-Pesa, this problem -has been resolved as cash is being deposited on a daily basis now and comprehensive reports being generated and monitored online.

Vodafone M-Pesa provided an ecosystem to WP where all plant operators get their daily collections converted to e-money with the aid of M-Pesa agents (CashIn points) positioned near their plants by Vodafone. They then transferred this money through M-Pesa to the supervisors in Bathinda city, thereby cancelling the need to travel and deposit money. This has helped in ensuring that the plants remain operational and public gets access to clean drinking water 7-days-a-week.

Sharing his thoughts, Pushpinder S Gujral, Business Head, Punjab, HP and J&K said, “Vodafone M-Pesa is delighted to be the harbinger of a facility that will significantly help in providing access to clean drinking water all through the week. With this tie-up and moving to M-Pesa’s safe and secure money transfer platform, the need for physical transferring the money has been eliminated. No more travelling to deposit the money to supervisors and wasting time on commute. This has ensured that the WP plants remain operational throughout the week and people from the region have uninterrupted access to clean drinking water.”

Serving the needs of the unbanked and under-banked sections, Vodafone M-Pesa is a unique and innovative Digital Wallet service from Vodafone that offers Money Transfer, Bill & Utility Pay, Merchant payments and Business Solutions (Enterprise Cash Management) with the largest network of 120,000 Agents (CashIn Points) spread across various towns and villages of India, enabling instant transfer and receipt of money anytime, from anywhere.

The tie-up between WP and Vodafone M-Pesa in Punjab was initiated at WP’s 8 operation centres as pilot at Rampura, Bathinda. Following the success of the tie-up, WP has agreed to extend this tie-up to other 25 points and do a pilot in Kollar district of Karnataka.

Commenting on this partnership, Onkatnath Sahai, Senior Project Manager, WaterPoint Services Pvt Ltd said, “Vodafone M-Pesa has been a game changer through its innovative digital wallet service wherein cash is being deposited on a daily basis now. The comprehensive reports that are generated online enable better supervision of cash flow and effective sales monitoring on a daily basis.”

Speaking about the ease that Vodafone M-Pesa has brought, Binder Singh, Field Coordinator, WaterPoint Services Pvt Ltd said, “Vodafone M-Pesa has relieved me from travelling for cash collection and deposit. I am utilising my time in other operational things, thereby, increasing the productivity. It provides me an sms update on deposits done at each WaterPoint.”