Technology to the Fore

The establishment of digital banking units is aimed at enhancing financial inclusion in rural India

-  ANAND ADHIKARI

EIGHT YEARS AGO, the country's largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI), came up with the idea of digitalonly branches. These branches operated with minimum human intervention, allowing customers to use the selfassisted mode for printing their pass books, opening accounts, availing loans, etc. They also enabled a customer to talk to a remote banker through a video link. It was an innovative idea, but the initiative focussed on the big cities at that time.