DirectPay and PayMedia facilitate eLocal Government payment services

DirectPay and PayMedia have come forward as pioneers to facilitate eLocal Government service payments which was launched on 29 January by Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Harin Fernando and Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Faiszer Musthapha.

eLocal Government (eLG) services is a project by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) aimed at automating essential day-to-day transactions provided by local authorities. eLG allows citizens to access efficient online transactional services. As digital transactions are faster, more convenient and secure, they are set to become the preferred channel for individuals and businesses to access government services.

PayMedia and DirectPay allow payments for eLocal Government services in two different ways bringing digital payment opportunities to millions of Sri Lankans. People who choose to pay through the DirectPay app can simply log in to the application through their mobile phone and pay for the selected eLocal Government service. Those who do not have access to a smart device they can simply locate an eLocal Government Payment kiosk, follow the necessary steps and deposit the money into the machine. 

All payments happen in real time bringing a seamless payments experience 24x7 that has never been experienced by the citizens of Sri Lanka.

PayMedia is a financial technology (FinTech) company focused on providing solutions for banking, finance and telecommunication industries, offering a wide range of services and has proved itself to be a truly innovative company by bagging numerous national and international Awards. It supports more than 180 telcos around the world. 

DirectPay, a spinoff of PayMedia, is a FinTech startup that is disrupting the digital payments industry in Sri Lanka and aims at providing financial inclusion through cashless means providing affordability and accessibility to all users.

Innovations in DirectPay are made possible by LankaClear’s JustPay platform along with Cargills Bank PLC and Sampath Bank PLC which opens up opportunities for startups like DirectPay to leverage technology to innovate and create new mechanisms that truly revolutionise the payments industry and the entire ecosystem as a whole. 

This service will reduce waiting times, and long queues, creating a more streamlined and standardized process. Local authorities have greatly benefitted as a result of these new platforms. The eLG digital transformation has also unlocked a range of productivity and efficiency benefits, saving costs, time and reducing inefficiencies. 

PayMedia is a brainchild of veteran Kanishka Weeramunda. He was recognised as the ‘Most Valuable ICT Entrepreneur of the Year 2015’ at the National Best Quality ICT Awards (NBQSA), where only the most distinguished individuals who have excelled in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector are selected and recognised for their entrepreneurship skills and delivery.  

Along with Kanishka Weeramunda, the founders of DirectPay is a team of professionals on a mission to disrupt the payments industry in the country. This includes Dinesh Karunathilaka counting over eight years’ experience in open source technologies and over three years’ experience in the FinTech industry. Avindi Perera counts over two years of experience in the financial technology domain and is a veteran in market requirements analysis in matured and emerging markets. Sasindu Pathiranage has over six years of experience in some of the largest corporations in the country, with expertise in system integrations and implementations. 

This power team is living proof that dreams and dedication can do wonders. They are committed to building a sustainable payment ecosystem which will help every person to go digital with the help of payment ecosystem partners.