MADURAI: Customers of all banks have been allowed to withdraw cash at post offices or at their doorstep through Gramin Dak Sevaks by using the Aadhaar-Enabled Payment System (AEPS).
In a statement, Senior Superintendent of Posts of Madurai Division JS Jawahar Raj said, "During the lockdown period, although banks and ATMs have been kept open as they provide essential services, many customers may face difficulties in reaching banks and ATMs to withdraw cash due to suspension of public transport."
The Centre, through various welfare schemes, has begun to deposit the relief amount into the bank accounts of beneficiaries as a coronavirus relief package, the statement further added.
Anticipating an increase in demand for cash withdrawal and rush at bank branches, the Department of Posts, through the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), has come forward to provide cash withdrawal services to customers of any bank, during this difficult time of pandemic outbreak, added Jawahar Raj.
Through this initiative, customers of all banks besides IPPB customers can withdraw upto Rs 10,000 at post offices or at their doorstep through postmen or Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS), using the Aadhaar-Enabled Payment System (AEPS), he informed.
The AEPS facility introduced in September last year would save the public, especially the rural populace, the hassle of looking for a bank or ATM, he said.
Through AEPS facility that would support beneficiaries of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, old age pension, persons with disabilities and LPG subsidy, any bank customer can withdraw money from any of his/her Aadhaar-linked bank account using his Aadhaar and biometric authentication, thus ensuring social distancing norms.