The Unique Identification Authority of India is looking at the possibility of partnering public sector banks to co-design Aadhaar-enabled financial products, V S Bhaskar, deputy director general of UIDAI, said in Chennai on Thursday.
"We are currently weighing this option and would sign memoranda of understanding with banks at an appropriate time to implement the same," he told reporters, while refusing to comment further.
UIDAI on Monday signed an MoU with State Bank of Hyderabad, following which it will act as a registrar for the unique identification project Aadhaar.
According to the agreement, SBH, the 16th bank to be roped in by the UIDAI so far, will execute the enrollment exercise through its over 1,200 bank branches spread across 14 states and two Union territories.
SBH has also been allotted five districts in Andhra Pradesh for the implementation of smart card project for EBT (electronic benefits transfer) payments.
While Nellore and Adilabad districts were allotted under one-district-one-bank model, Mahabubnagar, Karimnagar and Medak districts were allotted under service area.
The payment through the EBT mode will start by the end of next month.
Stating that SBH had drawn a detailed road map for the implementation of the financial inclusion plan, SBH managing director Renu Challu said the bank would be covering 318 villages in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka with 1.4 million population in Phase I, which will be completed by March 2011.
"In Phase II, we will be covering the remaining 750 villages with a population of 3.13 million. This would be completed by March 2012.
"Implementation of the total financial inclusion plan will be through kiosk and point-of-sale model, facilitating both enrollment and operations," she added.
"Of the total 1.3 million beneficiaries, we have so far issued 900,000 biometric smart cards -- which also have a provision for UIDAI -- as part of the financial inclusion plan.
"Whether we can use the same card for UIDAI that has to be looked at, going forward," she said.
Image: Nandan Nilekani
