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ICICI Bank launches Mera iMobile, allowing access to agri information
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Friday, 31 March, 2017, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Bengaluru
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ICICI Bank has launched Mera iMobile, a mobile banking app for rural customers. It will allow them to access banking services and information on agri services. Anyone, including non-ICICI Bank customers, can also download and use the app, which is available in eleven Indian languages.
The app allows users in rural areas to avail as many as 135 services, including Kisan Credit Card, gold loan, farm equipment loan and loans to self-help groups (SHGs). The app also enables them to undertake an array of frequently-used banking services from their smartphones, without using mobile Internet services.
Additionally, it is the first banking app to offer agriculture-related information, such as crop-wise mandi prices of nearly 230 crop varieties across 460 mandis. It also displays taluka-wise weather updates for close to 3,700 talukas across 300-plus districts, aiding farmers to plan their sowing and harvesting activities conveniently and in an informed manner.
Chanda Kochhar, managing director and chief executive officer, ICICI Bank, said, “India has the second largest Internet user base and smartphone market globally. We envisage that the next wave of growth in Internet usage will come from rural India due to the growth in cheaper smartphone handsets, the spread of wireless networks and evolving consumer behaviour.”
“With the new Mera iMobile, we will offer our rural and semi-urban customers a unique and unparalleled experience in their interactions with the bank,” she added.
“Mera iMobile is a result of extensive research. It will aid in saving time and effort of travel to the branch and the mandi for various services. We believe this app will resonate with the needs of the rural customers, and aim to have over half-a-million downloads in the next six months,” Kochhar added.
Any ICICI Bank customer with a rural savings account/Kisan Credit Card/gold loan/ self-help group/other agri loans can download Mera iMobile from the Google Play store on their Android smartphones. Non-ICICI Bank customers can also download it to use the agriculture advisory-related services.
Available as pre-formatted templates, customers can conveniently complete their frequent transactions by simply adding a few details. These services include fund transfers, bill payments, cheque book requests, recharges and balance enquiries, among others.
This is a part of the bank’s continuing effort to provide a robust digital ecosystem across the country, including rural India. Recently, the bank announced that it will transform 100 villages into ICICI Digital Villages, making it the largest village promotion programme in the country, encompassing digitisation of transactions and commercial activities, vocational training and credit facility to help villagers earn a sustainable livelihood.
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