Kolkata, Apr 27 () Sumi Khatun, a 'businesscorrespondent' of State Bank of India moves around severalvillages in West Bengal's Birbhum district to help people makemodest withdrawal or deposit money during the COVID-19 inducedlockdown.
Sumi, who has been given permission by theadministration to cover around 50-km of distance in thedistrict having a large number of farmers, day labourerstravels in an e-rickshaw criss-crossing Lohapur-Nalhati-areas.
On being chosen as the business correspondent in thefirst week of April, to help the small savings holders intheir hour of need and getting permission for outsourcing,Sumi saw how the elderly and infirm had to wait for hours ather kiosk in the scorching heat and decided to herself reachout to them at their households.
"That is allowed by our bank and after having wordwith our bank manager, I decided to reach the doorsteps of ourcustomers on my own," she told reporters on Sunday.
The 30-year old carries a laptop, fingerprint scannerand around Rs 50,000 in cash during her travel and is neverscared of her security "as I know I am within my family."
Shamima Begum, a 65-year old woman who works as a maidin a house said, "she has turned out to be another daughter ofmine. When I was desperately in need of Rs 1,000 but could notgo all the way to the SBI branch due to physical hurdles, Iwas contacted by Sumi who promised to visit my dwelling. Andshe came on Saturday."
Shamima was among the 70 villagers who were benefittedby Sumi's service so far, more noteworthy since 100-dayprojects have come to nought due to lockdown causing serioushardships to the villagers, a sizeable number of them Muslims,in the month of Ramzan.
Kabita Das, who works as an ayah in Mohispota in North24 Parganas said, "since I am attending an ailing 88-year oldwoman I could not go to the bank branch, two km away, towithdraw Rs 500. I went to the nearby kiosk manned by a youngman and got prompt service."
State Bank of India, West Bengal Circle, Chief GeneralManager R K Mishra said there are about 5000 such people,called business correspondents, across West Bengal whosupplement bank branches to reach closer to customers andunbanked areas.
"The mandate for them is to sit at bank servicekiosks. However, The bank encourages them if they visitdoorstep banking," Mishra told .
The bank also offers them incentive to do so, he said.
The incentives include giving Rs 3000 extra forworking beyond 21-days in the lockdown period, extra incentivefor higher number of transactions than a threshold number.
The business correspondents are also insured up to Rs2 lakh for any theft and loss of money. BSM SUSRG RG
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