Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Bio-metric ATM established

— PHOTO: R. M. RAJARATHINAM.

New system: Collector T.Soundiah watching a member of self-help group operating the first biometric automated teller machine at the Valadi branch of the Indian Bank in Tiruchi on Wednesday.

TIRUCHI: Indian Bank’s rural branch at Valadi has started a twin-option bio-metric Automated Teller Machine (ATM) centre for the benefit of all its 7,000-odd customers.

The branch had uploaded the finger-prints of 3,000 customers and the process for others has been in progress, the Deputy General Manager, Circle Head, Indian Bank, Tiruchi, said.

Talking to The Hindu on the sidelines of the inaugural of bio-metric ATM at the village on Wednesday, he said that a customer would have an option to use either the PIN number or the left thumb impression before withdrawing cash. Any option could be used during the course of a transaction.

Pointing out that a good strength of customers was illiterate, he said the bank identified the Valadi branch for the introduction of the bio-metric ATM service. It would benefit women members of self-help groups for operating joint accounts, where the finger-prints of two women would be authorised for a transaction. This was the first twin option bio-metric ATM in the State, he said, clarifying that the other bio-metric ATMs facilitated the use of only finger-print.

Speaking after distributing the ATM cards to 52 persons, including 10 members of three SHGs, Collector T. Soundaiah described Valadi as a model village with multi-cropping pattern. He said that the twin-option ATM would ensure reliability among the customers, especially the illiterate by eliminating any fraudulent transactions.

The Marketing Officer of the Circle, Ashokan said that three branches would be started before March this year. The micro-sate branch, to be started in Tiruchi, would cater to the credit needs of SHGs which accounted for about 20 branches. The Small and Medium Enterprises branch would ensure the promotion of small industries. The circle office would start a new branch at Nakudi in Pudukottai district. It has been planned to start bio-metric ATM service at Kulithalai too. The Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency, J. Dhanasekaran, the branch-manager, V. Thomas Xavier spoke.

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