Dubai eGovernment’s ePay payment gateway has recorded a 55 per cent increase in amounts collected in the first half of 2011, compared to 2010.

ePay enables customers to electronically pay their bills and settle dues for various government services in a safe and secure manner.

A total of Dh1.7 billion (4462.8 million) – through 1,396,973 transactions – was collected through ePay on behalf of all the participating local entities by the end of June.

This compares to a total of Dh1.1 billion through 835,095 transactions in the first half of 2010.

Dubai Customs, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) and Dubai Health Authority were the top three government entities respectively in terms of the electronically collected amounts, while Dubai Health Authority, Roads and Transport Authority and Dewa were the top three government entities respectively in terms of the number of transactions achieved.

“These results clearly indicate the favourable pace of eTransformation in Dubai and also reflect the increasing adoption of ePay as a preferred mode of payment to complete government transactions on one hand and the confidence shown by customers in the efficiency and safety of this option on the other,” said Ahmed Bin Humaidan, director general of Dubai eGovernment.

“This service allows both corporate and individual customers to complete ePayment for government services either through credit cards or direct debit from the customer’s account in participating banks,” he added.

Bin Humaidan noted that payment through credit cards was the customers’ top preferred option with the amounts electronically collected through credit cards reaching nearly Dh1.4 billion.

He also noted the use of direct debit option grew noticeably from 23,000 transactions in the first half of 2010 to 120,000 transactions in the corresponding period this year.

“All government departments need certain electronic ingredients and infrastructures to offer high quality and secure online services aimed at attracting customers and encouraging them to adopt the option of completing their transactions online,” Bin Humaidan said.

“In line with this, Dubai eGovernment strives to offer the required ingredients in the shape of centralized services and a joint infrastructure, enabling these departments to provide facilitated services to the public while offering them a suitable ground for concentration and innovation in their respective scopes of activity,” he concluded.

ePay is part of Dubai eGovernment’s initiative aimed at offering online government services for instant payment of government fees without having to waste time and effort by personally visiting banks or the departments concerned. These channels include among others the Internet and mPay. – TradeArabia News Service