Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday launched, through videoconferencing, the biometric smart card scheme for the disbursal of monthly pension given under social security schemes.

Initially, 24,004 beneficiaries in 268 villages belonging to three taluks of three districts were covered.

The Thovalai taluk of Kanyakumari District accounted for 3,562 beneficiaries; Manaparai (Tiruchi) - 9,882 beneficiaries and Kattumannarkoil (Cuddalore) – 10.560 beneficiaries.

The participating public sector banks were Indian Bank (covering 8,448 beneficiaries), State Bank of India (6,646 beneficiaries), Indian Overseas Bank (4,848 beneficiaries), Bank of India (2,572 beneficiaries) and Canara Bank (1,490 beneficiaries).

The opening of Savings Bank accounts for beneficiaries and distribution of biometric smart cards formed part of the scheme.

The smart cards would have the visual image and the SB account number of the beneficiary.

Each month, banking correspondents would visit the beneficiaries with hand-held machines, which would be used for insertion of cards. Even printouts could be generated from the machines, a senior official said.

To mark the inauguration, Ms Jayalalithaa handed over the cards to seven beneficiaries.