To give its ambitious financial inclusion schemes a further push, the Centre has asked banks to work with local kirana and chemist shops as well as ex-servicemen as linkages for cash transfers in remote areas.

“We are talking to banks to look at these outlets and also other existing institutions including post offices and common service centres to further financial inclusion in far flung areas where banking services are not available,” Financial Services Secretary Anjuly Chib Duggal on Wednesday said at a workshop on “Social Security Platform – the Way Forward”.

The Centre plans to rope in gramin dak sewaks, post office, payments banks and ration shops as well into the financial inclusions architecture. It has set a target for establishing 20 lakh points of presence across the country’s six lakh villages by March 31, 2017, said Peeyush Kumar, Joint Secretary, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

But, noting that these outlets can work as a “cash out” facility or point for withdrawing DBT, Duggal said the Centre is also working to expand doorstep banking services such as delivery of old age pensions.

As many as 800 “dark areas” have been identified where banking services are very poor and the Department is working with banks to improve internet connectivity and Bank Mitra services in these places, she said.

Additionally, the Department of Financial Services is also working with banks to provide mobile number seeding with bank accounts so that beneficiaries can get alerts on DBT transfers, Duggal said.

Former Finance Secretary Sumit Bose said that the Expenditure Management Commission too has whole-heartedly supported the DBT. “We have submitted our two-part final report to the Finance Ministry last month,” said Bose, who is a member of the Commission.

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