Chandigarh (PTI): Public sector lender Punjab National Bank on Sunday launched its first pilot project to bring the urban poor into the banking fold at Ludhiana, with the opening of 12,000 'No Frills Deposit' accounts.

"The bank would be issuing Biometric Smart Cards to all these depositors very soon, which shall allow them access to the banking system at their doorsteps irrespective of their domicile," PNB Chairman and Managing Director K C Chakrabarty said.

The objective of the 'financial inclusion in urban areas' project is to cover Indo Gangetic plain, where the bank has more inherent strength, not only in terms of outreach but infrastructure availability also. For accomplishment of this task Business Correspondent or Business Facilitator model is being adopted, he said.

PNB has identified 27 Pilot projects (20 in rural areas and 7 in urban areas) to be launched across 13 states in Indo-Gangetic Belt.

Out of 20 rural pilot projects, 6 projects have already been launched at Neemrana in Rajasthan, Tineri Panchayat in Bihar, Matki Jharoli in UP, Gararu in Bihar, Mauli Jagran in Chandigarh and Kullu in Himachal Pradesh.