HDFC Bank is targeting the rural customers. It said it will introduce more handheld machines across the country that could function like ATMs. These can target the rural customers, as setting up full-fledged ATMs in rural areas is not cost-effective, the bank said. These handheld devices can carry out most of the banking transactions. In fact, the bank had introduced these machines about a year ago and there are some 1500 micro ATMs which see around Rs 1 crore worth of transactions a month in rural areas. The bank believes that these machines could be used in the rural areas for payment to pensioners and direct benefit transfers under MGNREGA and in the urban areas to ease pressure on bank officers in branches that are crowded with customers. These micro ATMs are even capable of biometric verifications using Aadhaar and eKYC procedures, said Vikas Pandey, head-strategic projects of the bank. The bank is now integrating pension payments for the Tamil Nadu government, which will use biometric verification for added security, Pandey said.
