Biometric fingerprint devices distributed to Digipay Sakhi in Kohima

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Aug. 13 (EMN): The Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM) under the department of Rural Development distributed 27 Morpho biometric fingerprint scanners to Digipay Sakhis at DPDB Hall in Kohima, on Friday.

The devices were distributed to commemorate Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on the occasion of 75 years of Indian Independence. Training on the device application was also held for BC/Digipay Sakhis during the programme.

Digital finance was one of the key intervention under financial inclusion where India is planning to deploy business correspondents (BC) in all Gram Panchayat under  “Mission one BC One GP”, said State Programme Manager Financial Inclusion, SMMU, NSRLM, Rajuselie Lhousa, at the event.

Digipay Sakhis are the self-help group (SHG) members who give services to the SHG on digital transactions, he said, adding that financial services would be reaching the villages soon through Digipay.

“Digipay Sakhis are at the primary level to become business correspondents,” Lhousa said.

He informed that once transactions are smoothly executed through Digipay, banks would come forward to work with business correspondents.

He informed that Morpho biometric fingerprint scanners were distributed to 27 Digipay Sakhi from seven blocks under Kohima district to ensure that financial transaction services could be provided at the doorsteps for the convenience of the villagers. He added that Digipay services could be operated at home or at common service centre (CSC).

He expressed hope that through the training and distribution of the device, other districts of the state too would start using the much-anticipated Digipay Sakhi services.

As the country moves forward to provide financial services to every village, he informed that they were planning to place 500 business correspondents in Nagaland by 2025.

“We will be moving towards the same direction as any other states in India, creating business correspondents at every village,” Lhousa said.

He expressed optimism that the state would see a good number of women in villages playing the role of facilitators between the elderly, handicapped or even children who cannot approach the banks, so that such sections of the society could avail the services through SHG members.

He also informed that, for the state mission, area coordinators financial inclusion (ACFI) frontline workers includes the master bookkeepers placed in all the villages; Bank Sakhi at the bank branches; business correspondents or Digipay (BC) Sakhi or customer service points (CSP); Bima Sakhi; and FLCRPs, Udyomi (enterprise) Sakhi will be implemented very soon.

State Head Common Service Centre, Lanusosang Jamir briefed on the utilisation of the device, while ADC Kohima, M Bhavani Sri gave away Morpho device to the Digipay Sakhi.