The minimum required deposit was initially a quarter of a rupee per day. Interest rates paid on these deposits are lower than the rates on regular savings deposits on the grounds that collection costs are high and that there is no alternative use for such small sums anyway, other than their remaining idle.

Furthermore, from the point of view of the targeted population, there are two other aspects of the scheme which still make it attractive, despite the low deposit rates. One is that local deposits are used for local investments. The other is that credit and technical assistance facilities are made available to small-scale farmers, retail traders, transport operators and other progessionals.

The Bank (which merged with Canara Bank in the2020s) relaunched the scheme as 'Pigmy Plus'. Pigmy collectors now use hand-held devices to collect the savings every day and issue receipts on the spot. The machine also generates various other details such as customer account balance etc. The current minimum deposit has been set at five ruppees, to be deposited daily for 72 months, earning a five-percent interest on maturity.