Thrissur: The procedures to announce Thrissur as the first complete digital district in Kerala is progressing. This will be declared in March. It has been found that 45.56 lakh out of the 64.92 lakh savings bank accounts opened in the district have at least one of the digital transaction facility such as debit, RuPay card, internet banking or mobile banking. Also, 90,000 out of the 1.67 lakh current accounts have any one of the digital transaction facility.
There are programmes to provide a digital product for every bank account holders and make them able to use digital transaction methods. A meeting of bank officials evaluated that there is a huge difference between banks in granting access to users for digital transaction. The meeting also discussed the measures to reduce this.
Seventeen banks in the district have digitised over 75 percent saving bank accounts and six banks have digitised over 75 percent current accounts. RBL Bank, Axis Bank, Federal Bank, ICICI Bank and Airtel Bank have completely digitised savings bank accounts. ICICI, SBI and Bank of India have 90 percent digitised current accounts.
Within two months, all Jan Dhan account holders will be given RuPay cards. All current account holders will be included in net banking and mobile banking coverage. Representatives of residents’ associations, commercial establishments with over 10 staff, joint ventures and self-help groups will be given training in digital transactions.
Senior citizens and others will be trained in UPI-based payment methods. Though it was planned to completely digitise Thrissur district by September 2020, the plans were postponed due to the COVID outbreak and lockdown.
