Biometric ATMs for UP dairy owners

Lucknow, Feb 8: Dairy farmers in neighbouring Sitapur district have been issued with ''unique'' debit-cum-ATM cards by a leading private sector bank to enable them withdraw money they earn by selling milk to the co-operative unions.

What is unique about the ATM cards is that instead of the traditional personal identification number (PIN), they work on thumbprints of the card holder.

The ATMs in the area have been armed with the latest biometric technology. The card holder has to put his thumb on the reader instead of punching in the PIN. ''The money is safe as no one can steal the PIN to withdraw the amount,'' said Lucknow Milk co-operative chairman Ganesh Shanker.

The Sitapur dairy farmers were distributed the ATM cards at the just-concluded India Food Expo-07 organised by the Indian Industries Association (IIA).

Mr Shanker claimed that SBI, along with a few more banks are all set to enter the rural areas with their vast network of ATMs.

UNI