The Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS) has witnessed a surge in transactions during India’s Covid-19-induced lockdown. Many providers have pivoted to use of this system as bank branches experienced service disruptions in the early weeks of the lockdown, limiting the cash-out points in India. This coincided with a huge demand for cash withdrawals by vulnerable citizens in response to announcement of cash transfer schemes by Central and State governments. Many migrants who are part of the mass exodus away from affected cities have heightened reliance on wayside shops and MicroATMs to access cash.
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