The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued guidelines regarding setting up of White Label ATMs by non-bank entities. Non-bank entities that intend setting up, owning and operating ATMs, are christened “White Label ATM Operators” (WLAO) and such ATMs are called “While Label ATMs” (WLAs). Three different schemes are available to WLAOs for setting of WLAs which incentivize setting up of WLAs in Tier III to Tier VI centres (population less than 50000). As on 31.12.2015, 11706 WLAs have been set up.

There are 1.26 lakh Bank Mitras in rural areas of the country who are equipped with either fixed points kiosks or micro ATMs which can be conveniently carried from place to place.

This was stated by Shri Jayant Sinha, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.

White Label ATM guidelines enable non-bank operators to run ATMs with incentives for deployment in smaller centres. Guidelines permit non-bank entities to set up, own and operate ATMs as White Label ATM Operators (WLAOs) and their machines as White Label ATMs (WLAs). The framework provides three incentive schemes to promote WLA deployment, especially in Tier III to Tier VI centres, and reports complementary rural outreach through Bank Mitras using kiosks and micro ATMs to extend banking services.