The public will soon be able to use government services through the Dubai e-Government's online direct debit system for public service transactions with the UAE banks.

Under the new system, the public will be able to pay utility bills, renew licences, health cards and work permits.

Consumers are only required to make a written request to their banks authorising Dubai e-Government to debit directly from their accounts through the UAE Switch which controls ATM transactions, said Salem Al Shair, director of e-Services, Dubai e-Government.

"The online direct debit facility will be a unified net-based payment system through the portal www.dubai.ae allowing direct debit from the personal account of consumers to e-Government account.

"It will be one of the payment options for online users and we are devising a strategy that will make it a fully secure and quick mode of payment, added Al Shair.

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