Mumbai, October 28, 2026: NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has onboarded NABARD Financial Services Limited (NABFINS), a subsidiary of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), onto Bharat Connect under the Loan Repayment category.
The integration, facilitated by Canara Bank as the Biller Operating Unit (BOU), enables over one lakh NABFINS customers across 19 states to repay their loan EMIs and overdue instalments through more than 1,000 banking and payment apps and over eight lakh physical agent outlets nationwide. This move expands repayment options for microfinance borrowers, who previously had limited digital touchpoints.
Expanded digital and assisted repayment
By leveraging Bharat Connect’s interoperable network, NABFINS borrowers can now use both digital and assisted payment channels for regular and missed EMI payments. The initiative aims to simplify repayments, reduce delays, and enhance convenience for customers in the microfinance sector.
The onboarding is seen as a milestone in broadening accessible digital and assisted loan repayment options, reinforcing Bharat Connect’s role in advancing financial inclusion through secure and interoperable payment services.
Stakeholder perspectives on the integration
Dr. Y Haragopal, Managing Director, NABFINS, said the association with NPCI Bharat Connect is a step towards providing seamless, secure, and convenient digital payment solutions to underserved communities. Sunil Kumar Chugh, Executive Director, Canara Bank, described the integration as an important milestone for enabling digital loan repayments in the microfinance sector and reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to digital innovation and financial inclusion. Dr. Noopur Chaturvedi, MD & CEO, NBBL, stated that the development will make loan repayments more accessible and supports the company’s focus on expanding financial accessibility and digital adoption.
Growth in loan repayment category
The Loan Repayment category on Bharat Connect now includes over 400 billers, such as banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), and microfinance institutions (MFIs). In the first half of FY 2026-2027, the category processed over 18.8 crore transactions valued at approximately ₹1.23 lakh crore, reflecting year-on-year growth of 18% in transaction volume and 31% in value.
About the organisations
NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL) is a subsidiary of NPCI, providing a unified, interoperable ecosystem for bill payments and collections. NABFINS is a subsidiary of NABARD, serving microfinance customers across India. Canara Bank acted as the Biller Operating Unit for this integration.
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