What it is
Bharat Connect is an interoperable bill payment network run by NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd, part of the NPCI group behind UPI and RuPay. Until 2024 it was called the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS). Banks and apps join as operating units; billers join once; and any customer can then pay any listed biller from any participating app.
What you can pay
Electricity, water, piped gas and LPG, mobile postpaid and broadband, DTH, FASTag, credit cards, loan EMIs, insurance premiums, education fees, municipal taxes, housing society dues and more — the list grows as billers join.
How a payment works
- In your app's Bills section, choose the category and biller.
- Enter your customer number; the app fetches the bill from the biller.
- Pay by UPI, card, net banking or wallet.
- You get an instant confirmation with a Bharat Connect transaction reference ID, and the biller is updated.
Look for the Bharat Connect mark (earlier the Bharat BillPay "B" logo) to know a payment goes through the network.
When something goes wrong
- Money debited but bill not updated? Wait a few hours; most settle automatically.
- Then raise a complaint in the same app (or on the Bharat Connect website) with your transaction reference ID. The network tracks it to the bank or biller responsible.
- If the bank doesn't resolve a payment complaint in time, you can escalate to the bank's grievance officer and then the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.
Why it matters for credit cards
Since 1 July 2024, the RBI requires credit card bill payments made through other apps to go through Bharat Connect. If your card isn't listed in an app, your issuer may not have enabled it yet; pay through the issuer's own app meanwhile. See credit card bill payment.
Pay safely
- Pay through the biller's own app or website, your bank, or a UPI app — look for the Bharat Connect mark.
- Never pay through a link in an SMS or WhatsApp message, and never call a number from a message threatening disconnection. Billers don't ask you to install screen-sharing apps.
- Keep the transaction reference ID; it is what you quote in a complaint.
- You never need your UPI PIN to receive money; anyone who asks for it is a fraudster.
Oxon Fintech does not sell recharges or collect bill payments. Plan prices and benefits are the operators' own, as listed on the date above; they change often and can differ by telecom circle, so confirm in the operator's app before paying.