Laxmi began begging near Hatibagan, a busy road junction in northern Calcutta, at the age of 16. Recently she handed over 91kg (200lb) of coins - the produce of 44 years of hard begging - enabling her to open an account and qualify for a credit card. Officials say she could have saved as much as 30,000 rupees ($692). She had saved the coins in iron buckets covered with jute bags at her home in a shanty town near the crossing. She was encouraged to deposit the money by police who feared it could have been stolen from her home. Bank officials are the total coins deposited by her for more than three days.Once her account is eventually opened, officials at the Central Bank of India will give her advice on how to use her money.The scam has caused an acute coin shortage in eastern India, forcing government mints to cut down on the amount of metal they now use to make the coins.