eZ Cash Connects to Lanka Government Payment Service

eZ Cash Powers Mobile Payment on ICTA’s Lanka Gate

Caption: Central Bank Governor Mr. Ajith Nivard Cabraal (Centre) witnesses the Exchanging of Agreements between ICTA Chairman Prof. P.W. Epasinghe (Right) and Dialog Axiata Group Chief Executive Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya (Left) signifying the Integration of eZ Cash with the Lanka Government Payment Service (LGPS). Also in the picture is Mr. Jayantha Fernando Director/Legal Advisor of ICTA.

Sri Lanka’s Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and Dialog Axiata PLC announced Thursday, 28th November that Sri Lanka’s first and largest Mobile Payment and Transaction Service – eZ Cash had been selected and integrated as the first Mobile Payments Service Provider to Lanka Gate – the eServices portal of the Government of Sri Lanka.

The inauguration of Mobile Payment Services on Lanka Gate was announced in the presence of the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Mr. Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the Chairman ICTA and Presidential Advisor Professor P.W. Epasinghe, Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Deputy Governor of Central Bank Mr. Ananda Silva and several other Senior Officials, including Director/ Legal Advisor ICTA Jayantha Fernando, Senior Program Head e-Gov Mr. D.C. Dissanayake and ICTA Head of e-Services Kanchana Thudugala. ‘Lanka Gate’ which is the electronic transaction gateway to public service agencies of the Government of Sri Lanka, facilitates citizens and enterprises to make payments via the Lanka Government Payment Service (LGPS). ‘Lanka Gate’ is a national software infrastructure implemented by ICTA, within the scope of the e-Sri Lanka initiative of the Government of Sri Lanka.

“This is an important milestone in the development path of the government eager to assist citizens and enterprises to obtain government services with ease”, said Professor P. W. Epasinghe, Chairman ICTA. “It is a known fact that mobile penetration in Sri Lanka is far greater than any other electronic medium. Therefore leveraging on mobile as a payment mechanism for government paying services would pave the way for citizens who are either reluctant to use their credit/debit cards or not having credit/debit cards, to obtain government services” he added.

The integration of Mobile Payment services through eZ Cash, supplements the existing Internet Payment Gateway (IPG) services already available on Lanka Government Payment Service (LGPS) encompassing Visa, MasterCard and American Express payment instruments. The integration of eZ Cash makes Lanka Gate the first e-Government Services Portal in South Asia to provide an expansive set of citizen payment options encompassing Mobile and Internet Payment.

eZ Cash is operated by Dialog Axiata PLC – Sri Lanka’s Mobile market leader and premier connectivity provider. eZ Cash operates under the aegis of the Payments and Settlements Act No 28 of 2005 and is regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. “We are honored to have been selected as the Mobile Payments Provider to Lanka Gate” said Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC. “The integration of eZ Cash within the Lanka Government Payment Service environment, takes Sri Lanka a step closer to an era where the mobile phone is rendered a principal and inclusive electronic payment instrument in the hands of Sri Lankan citizens. The progressive regulatory regime for mobile payments crafted by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the aggressive advances made by the ICTA with respect to enabling a wide range of e-government services have in combine created a singularly inclusive e-service delivery environment for all Sri Lankan` citizens” he added.

About ICTA ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) is the apex Government Institution responsible for ICT policy and direction for the nation. It is the implementing organization of the e-Sri Lanka Initiative, the integrated ICT development program of the Government encompassing ICT led strategies covering the Government, private sector, rural communities and policy reform. ICTA was instrumental in formulating reform initiatives such as the Electronic Transactions Act (2006) and the FR Circular 447/2010, facilitating the deployment of a series of e-government services with online payment methods.

In order to provide all payment options to users of transactional services provided through Lanka Gate and other government organizations, ICTA has architected an unified payment platform – the “Lanka Government Payment Service (LGPS)”. LGPS provides a single window for all electronic payment mechanisms with a singular integration point. The LGPS provides seamless integration between e-Services of the Government of Sri Lanka and a wide range of electronic payment mechanisms, enabling citizens and businesses to enjoy the convenience of multiple payment options optimizing the policy reforms initiated by ICTA.