This is accompanied by a 37 percent increase in the number of completed transactions through the ePay system which enables users to electronically pay for various government services in a secure environment.

A total of Dh5.6 billion was collected from 4,547,829 transactions through DSG's ePay gateway for the benefit of 25 participating local government and non-government entities by the end of December 2013; compared with Dh4.4 billion from 3,318,572 transactions in 2012. Accordingly, ePay has been offering huge benefits in terms of reducing government expenses through investment in DSG's technical infrastructure which is offered to all Dubai-based government entities and departments on one hand, and to individual and corporate users on the other.

Commenting on the remarkable increase in the use of eServices, Ahmed Bin Humaidan, Director General of Dubai Smart Government, said: "These results are a clear indication of the growing pace of eTransformation in Dubai; further reflected by the growing demand on the adoption of ePay to complete government transactions. It also expresses the strong confidence of our customers in this highly efficient and secure solution. ePay contributes to the national economy and helps create a sustainable green environment, since it reduces traffic movement and congestion, by avoiding unnecessary visits to government counters, thereby reducing wastage of assets and enhancing the green economy of the nation. We have come a long way in providing our clients with cutting-edge smart government applications in various fields, specifically in financial dealing which is the most sensitive for both individual and corporate users."

"We, at Dubai Smart Government, were able to successfully boost user confidence through constant improvements to the portal such as enhancing the online payment system through the 3D Secure System and offering multiple payment options for our customers. The ePay portal allows both individuals and corporate users to pay online for more than 250 eServices, either through the second generation eDirham, credit cards or debit cards from five leading banks: Commercial Bank of Dubai, Dubai Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Union National Bank," Bin Humaidan concluded.

ePay and mPay are part of the Dubai Smart Government's initiative which aims at providing government services through innovative channels in order to ease the lives of people and businesses interacting with the Government in Dubai. The Dubai Smart Government offers online government services through electronic channels for the public and the business community to have an efficient and comfortable mechanism for instant payment of government fees, thereby saving time and effort on personal visits to banks or the departments concerned. The ePay portal has a smart feature that allows it to be linked with all the eServices of government departments, irrespective of the technologies and software used by these entities. It is also distinguished for its compatibility with all means of electronic payment including the internet, kiosks, IVR, major credit cards and direct debit.