Patna, (Bihar Times): The Punjab National Bank (PNB) on
Thursday introduced a unique branchless banking
service under a pilot project at Tineri village under
Masaurhi sub-division of Patna district. This is the
first such branch in the state and second in the
country.Launching the new service PNB Chairman-cum-Managing Director K C Chakraborty said it will help take thebanking services to the remotest corners of the country. He described the initiative not only as part of the bank’s social responsibility, but also as a ‘holistic approach’ towards providing basic banking facilities to the poorest of the poor in all corners of the country.
Tineri is about 50 km from the state capital and is the second such village in the country after Neemrana in Alwar district of Rajasthan where PNB had decided to set up the branchless banking facility to serve the poor who had no idea about the diversified banking services.
According to the CMD under the project each family in the village would be provided with a biometric card, a thermal filter and a Near Field Communication (NFC) mobile hand set at a total cost of only Rs 110, at least half of which was expected to come from the state government as subsidy. In return each customer would be allowed to open a savings bank account even with zero balance in the branchless banking system. All transaction could thus be made with the biometric card and the NFC.