The AP Purse mobile app launched by the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu two days ago in Vijayawada, to facilitate cashless transactions for the people, seems to be disastrous. Though in a hurry he attempted to gain credit as `champion of cashless economy’ at national level, the end-product seems to be farm from satisfactory. Realising it is not user-friendly, now officials have started to rebuild the same, offering extra features.
The app was intended to makes opt for mobile banking to come out of the present small currency crisis. Presently, this presents 13 mobile banking and 10 mobile Wallets. People can pay their bills using the app and carry out their cash transaction. Officials are stating that it could have been given a better shape.
Originally it was decided to launch the app on December 15. But Chandrababu was in hurry after knowing that his Telangana counterpart K Chadnrasekhar Rao will be launching TS-Wallet on December 14. Moreover, Naidu also in hurry to showcase this product at the first meeting of the center’s panel headed by him on demonetization, being held today in Mumbai.
Expressing their helplessness, a senior officer of IT and Communication Department admits that “we had to race against time”. As a result, he felt now the application download remains complex for common people.
Official circles confirms that reviews of the app on Google Play Store so far are not encouraging. Till yesterday, the app was downloaded by more than 6,000 users and 283 of them gave it five-star rating while 227 gave it one-star rating. The average rating was 3.2 on Google Play Store.
The major problem arises as they have to download mobile apps and mobile wallets separately. Most of the smartphone users already use some of the listed applications. The incentive feature, which is new, generated interest for obvious reasons but that too let down several users.
The training feature under the volunteer icon is something everyone is eyeing – the government is offering Rs 15 if the user trains an individual in online transactions. But frustratingly, the app seems to be rejecting the Aadhaar number and getting stuck.
