DARPAN launched for financial inclusion of rural population

It will offer core banking services in rural areas

GN Bureau | December 21, 2017


#Financial Inclusion   #Rural   #DARPAN project   #DARPAN   #Manoj Sinha  
Minister of communications, Manoj Sinha
Minister of communications, Manoj Sinha

Minister of communications Manoj Sinha on Thursday launched DARPAN (Digital Advancement of Rural Post Office for A New India) aimed at realising financial inclusion of un-banked rural population. The IT modernisation project, having an outlay of Rs 1400 crore, intends to provide a low power technology solution to each branch postmaster (BPM) which will enable each of approximately 1.29 lakhs branch post offices (BOs) to improve service delivery, the department of post said in a release.  

Sinha said that 43,171 branch post offices have migrated under the DARPAN project with the aim of financial inclusion to rural population and it is targeted to complete the project by March 2018.

DARPAN offers core banking services. The core banking application covers following services: cash deposit in savings bank (SB) and recurring deposit (RD), withdrawal from savings bank, new account opening for SB and RD, higher value withdrawal, mini statement, Aadhaar seeding and daily transaction report.

"The application is used for the reimbursement of social security benefits to the needy across the country such as MNREGS, old age pension and DBT," the department said.

The project shall increase the rural reach of the department of posts and enable BOs to increase traffic of all financial remittances, savings accounts, rural postal life insurance, and cash certificates; improve mail operations processes by allowing for automated booking and delivery of accountable article; increase revenue using retail post business; provide third party applications; and make disbursements for social security schemes such as MGNREGS.

As part of IT modernisation project, the department of posts (DoP) has carried out business process reengineering across various functional areas and has created to-be processes that will enable it to achieve these objectives. As an achievement, department of posts has established 991 ATMs across the country, which are interoperable with other banks and the common people has directly benefited with the wide network of department of posts especially in rural areas.
 

Comments

 

Other News

India faces critical shortage of skin donors amid rising burn cases

India reports nearly 70 lakh burn injury cases every year, resulting in approximately 1.4 lakh deaths annually. Experts estimate that up to 50% of these lives could be saved with adequate access to skin donations.   A significant concern is that around 70% of burn victims fall wi

Not just politics, let`s discuss policies too

Why public policy matters Most days, India`s loudest debates stop at the ballot box. We can name every major leader and recall every campaign slogan. Still, far fewer of us can explain why a widow`s pension is delayed or how a government school`s budget is actually approved. That

When algorithms decide and children die

The images have not left me, of dead and wounded children being carried in the arms of the medics and relatives to the ambulances and hospitals. On February 28, at the start of Operation Epic Fury, cruise missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh school – officially named a girls’ school, in Minab,

The economics of representation: Why women in power matter

India’s democracy has grown in scale, but not quite in balance. Women today are active participants in elections, influencing outcomes in ways that were not as visible earlier. Yet their presence in legislative institutions continues to lag behind. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was meant to addres

India will be powerful, not aggressive: Bhaiyyaji

India is poised to emerge as a global power but will remain rooted in its civilisational ethos of non-aggression and harmony, former RSS General Secretary Suresh `Bhaiyyaji` Joshi has said.   He was speaking at the launch of “Rashtrabhav,” a book by Ravindra Sathe

AI: Code, Control, Conquer

India today stands at a critical juncture in the area of artificial intelligence. While the country is among the fastest adopters of AI in the world, it remains heavily reliant on technologies developed elsewhere. This paradox, experts warn, cannot persist if India seeks technological sovereignty.


Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter