SBI to opens ATMs in 39 Railway stations in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Jun 23: With daily average hit rate of 357 per ATM, the third highest in the country,the State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to install 100 more ATMs in addition to 249 ATMs already installed in Orissa SBI Orissa circle Chief General Manager M N Rao told newsmen here yesterday that the bank has already issued more than 9 lakh ATM cum Debit cards to the customers in the State.

The monthly cash dispensation from the ATMs across the state has crossed Rs 370 crores by March 2007, he said adding that arrangements have been made to install ATMs at 39 Railway Stations across the state shortly.

Mr Rao claimed that the Bank had installed ATMs at major public utility places like Airports, Hospitals, Reputed Educational Institutions and Shopping Malls for extending user friendly services.

For the convenience of the customers, facilities like fees collection, bill payment, airline ticket booking (King Fisher Airlines) and donation to temples and trusts have been introduced through SBI ATM, the CGM said.

The donation to Sri Jagannath Temple, Puri,he said introduced since March 2006 has received a good response from devotees all over the country.

On the technological upgradation on the branches, Mr Rao said the SBI has migrated 205 branches in the State to Core Banking Solutions (CBS) covering nearly 72 per cent of its total business and cent per cent urban business in the state.

The Bank, he said, was contemplating to migrate all remaining branches to CBS platform during the current financial year. The Orissa Circle, Mr Rao said has registered a year-on-year growth of 24.61 per cent in aggregate deposits and 20.86 per cent in aggregate advances during 2006-07.

The Net Profit of the Circle, Mr Rao said has jumped from Rs 229 crores during 2005-2006 to Rs 288 crore during 2006-2007, registering an increase of 20.86 per cent. He said the circle has targeted to achieve the aggregate deposit of Rs.15,986 crore and aggregate advances of Rs.11,345 crores during 2007-2008.The Orissa circle,he claimed had achieved the aggregate deposit of Rs.13,336 crore during 2006-2007.

SBI,the CGM said has credit linked 1,08,472 SHGs in the State with an aggregate financial assistance of Rs.397 crores which accounted for 36 per cent of total SHG linkages in the state, considered to be the highest among all Banks in Orissa.For the third consecutive year, SBI has been adjudged by the State Government as the best public sector Bank in SHG linkages in Orissa,Mr.Rao said.

The Bank, he claimed, has completed Financial Inclusion of Ganjam district by covering all the villages and the branches have received appreciation from RBI as 100 per cent achievers.

Mr Rao said the Bank has undertaken the task to complete Financial Inclusion of the districts of Nayagarh and Rayagada within five months during the current year.

Agriculture continued to be the major thrust area of the SBI with the agricultural advances during 2006-07 touching Rs.1131 crore from Rs 761 crore last year registering a growth of 48.62 per cent.The SBI, he said has formed 47 Agricultural Marketing Teams across the State to promote high value agricultural advances and planned to extend credit in excess of Rs 500 crores to agriculture sector during 2007-2008.

Mr Rao said the SBI has an exposure of Rs.3580 crore to SME sector in the state with a growth of 38.54 per cent in lending during the year.

Thrust has been given to user friendly products like SME Credit Card, Artisan Credit Card, Traders Easy Loan, Doctor Plus, School Plus, Open Term Loans and attractive deposit products like SME Power Pack, SME Power Gain, SME Sahaj have been introduced to cater to the needs of this segment.

UNI