Dhanlaxmi Bank, an Indian bank in the state of Kerala, is expected to open 50 customer service points (CSP) in the near future to reach out to approximately 50,000 low-income individuals. Tilisa Gupta Kaul, head of microfinance at the bank, said the aim of the initiative was to include more low-income people in the formal banking system and in the economic mainstream.

Jayakumar, general manager, explained that each CSP would have a representative from the bank to educate the customer on the banking services and also to service the deposit and withdrawal requirements of the customer. The CSPs would use biometric cards with the fingerprints of the customers.

By Jay Kumar, Research Assistant

About Dhanlaxmi Bank:
Incorporated in November 1927, Dhanlaxmi Bank is a financial services company headquartered in Kerala, India. The bank has a network of 254 branches and 224 ATMs. As of March 2009, the bank had a total deposits worth INR 49 billion (USD 1 trillion) and a microcredit portfolio amounting to INR 1.3 billion (USD 28 million).

Additional Resource:
1.) http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/23/stories/2010012353221700.htm
2.) http://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Dhanlaxmi+Bank