No cash payment shall be accepted at any counters other than at the ‘AIIMS Smart Card’ top-up counters which shall be operationalised in multiple locations and shall operate on 24x7 basis, a statement issued by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences said on January 24.
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The AIIMS Smart Card, which will start from March 31, began as a pilot project in some departments of the premier health institute.
In the order, AIIMS Director Dr. M. Srinivas referred to the office memorandum issued on November 17, 2022, advising that ‘AIIMS Smart Card’ facility for patients and their attendants shall be started with effect from April 15, 2023, in collaboration with the State Bank of India.
This was done to move to digital payments mode and to improve patient convenience so that they do not have to stand in queues for making payments for various investigations and procedures or for getting snacks/food in cafeteria etc, the order stated.
It added that AIIMS Smart Card which has been started on pilot basis in few areas should be operationalised pan AIIMS New Delhi for all sorts of payments by March 31.