UPI Services Piloted in Cooperative Banks, First Launch in West Godavari

Eluru, Jan 27: For the first time, the Andhra Pradesh government has introduced UPI (Unified Payments Interface) services in District Cooperative Central Banks (DCCBs). On Monday, these services were launched on a pilot basis in cooperative banks of the erstwhile West Godavari district.

Until now, UPI services such as QR code scanning, PhonePe, Google Pay were available only to customers with accounts in commercial banks. Farmers with accounts in cooperative banks—especially those cultivating tobacco, oil palm, and cocoa—did not have access to such services. As their produce transactions are largely online, many farmers were turning to commercial banks.

To address this, APCOB Chairman Ganni Veeranjaneyulu initiated the rollout in his home district (West Godavari) after discussions with senior officials. The coalition government had earlier computerized cooperative societies and banks to ensure transparency, paving the way for online services.

Now, cooperative bank customers can use their mobile phones to instantly send or receive money without visiting branches. Cashless services can be accessed anytime, anywhere.

The government plans to expand UPI services to all cooperative banks across the state soon.

This marks a major step toward digital financial inclusion for rural farmers, ensuring they enjoy the same convenience as commercial bank customers.