The rural development and Panchayati raj departments have been directed by the CM of Uttar Pradesh to commence the training of 58,000 women banking correspondent (BC) Sakhis before they start off with their job. The state government has finally wrapped up the first-of-its-kind technology-driven process for selecting 58,000 women for the posts of banking correspondent Sakhis and each gram panchayat in the state, will have an affiliated BC Sakhi.
BC Sakhi- a one-stop solution for all banking services at the doorstep of the underprivileged
A mobile app-based recruitment process was undertaken to appoint these ‘Sakhis’, amid the ongoing pandemic, in a state-wide exercise. The department of rural development began the selection process in June and in the last three weeks, it interviewed the shortlisted applicants via their smart phones through the BC Sakhi mobile app. The state government had received 2.17 lakh applications for the induction of the selected BC Sakhis.
In an official statement, the CM stated, “Once the BC Sakhis begin working, it will help a lot of the villagers in their banking related needs. BC Sakhis will function from their village’s panchayat bhavan.” Additional chief secretary, rural development and panchayati raj department, Manoj Kumar Singh, mentioned that the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF) will now train these BC Sakhis before they begin working. Further, Singh added, “BC Sakhis, using technology, will take banking to the doorsteps of families in their respective villages.”
He also added, “BC Sakhis would become a one-stop solution for all banking services at the doorstep of the poor. The government envisages channelling government services (subsidies, entitlements, pensions etc) and direct benefit transfer (DBT) payouts through these BC Sakhis in the villages, besides taking up a range of banking operations and encouraging villagers for digital transactions.” A BC Sakhi would receive Rs 4,000 per month as honorarium and a one-time Rs 75,000 easy-instalment loan for tech hardware and installation.
