SBI to tap Bhopal circle

State Bank of India (SBI) is expanding its reach to the rising potential areas. Moving forward on this SBI is planning to tap the rising potential in the Bhopal circle.

SBI will get on with its expansion program in the Bhopal circle which covers subscribers in states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The plan will be completed by next year and will require increase in headcount, branch expansion, more ATMs and creating alternative channels to offer banking services.

Dinesh Kumar Jain, chief general manager, Bhopal circle, told Business Standard reporter, “We will open 140 more branches to render our customer-friendly services in rural, semi-urban and city areas of both the states. There are newly developed townships, colonies and residential areas in towns like Bhopal, Raipur and Indore, where we do not have a presence but they have good potential in banking.”

The bank is employing the expansion program in a major way and will hire 20,000 personnel this year all over India. “Of those the Bhopal circle will accommodate 2,500-3,000 people in various cadres; clerks, recovery officers and officers”.

He added, “We have already recruited 900 clerks approximately this fiscal (March 2008) and we are in the process of recruiting more techno-savvy dynamic and energetic younger personnel in clerk, recovery and probationary officers grade. As many as 300 probationary officers and 1,100 recovery officers are likely to join the Bhopal circle.” Bank after viewing the record hits received at some of its ATMs, the bank has planned to set up more ATMs.

In addition, the bank is also planning to launch mobile ATMs in Bhopal and other big cities of the states. “We have plans to establish 350 more ATMs in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,” Jain added, “the circle will soon start mobile ATMs in bigger cities. The facility is operational in Raipur of Chhattisgarh.”

Bank is having a deposit base of Rs 30,000 crore and advances have touched Rs 20,000 crore in Bhopal circle. Bank expects the deposit figure to go up to Rs 32000 crore (expected to touch Rs 30000 next week) advances to reach Rs 20000 crore vis-à-vis Rs 16000 crore as on March 2008.after the opening of the branch. “Our focus is to migrate people from bank and use an alternate channel to do banking. This will not only arrest the rise in our operational cost but we will be able to render more customer-friendly services,” he added.

The bank has already made signed agreements with few departments of the state government and is carrying out discussions to offer various services; payment of value added tax, power bills, excise and stamp duty payment and college fee payment.

Jain further added, “Some government department are already working with us and more are likely to sync with us through computer network to offer e-governance facilities.”

Standard Chartered Bank ‘1Money’ offer preferred mode of payment

Standard Chartered Bank, a largest foreign bank in India has launched ‘1Money’. Bank has designed a product to help the customers do away with multiple plastic. It is the first the first card which has combined benefits of a debit and a credit card. ‘1Money’, will give the customer the choice of using the same plastic as a credit card or a debit card.

According to the Reserve Bank of India in India there are about 26 million credit card and 70 million debit card users. Year-on-year this number is growing by 28% and 41% respectively and the value of transactions is growing in similar percentages by 20% and 37% respectively. Hence, it is time that the Indian consumers get the option to decide their preferred mode of payment through one plastic.

Speaking during the launch, Shyam Srinivasan, Country Head – Consumer Banking, Standard Chartered Bank, said, “Innovation has always been a key focus in our business strategy. As one of the premium issuer of cards in the country, we have always looked for customer feedback and translated it into the most beneficial products offered. We believe with this initiative Standard Chartered will be the harbinger of a new era in customer delight in the Indian banking industry."

Present on the occasion Sai Narain CDK, Head - Consumer Transaction Banking & Strategic Initiatives Standard Chartered Bank said, “To further enhance customer experience, we felt the need to launch 1Money. The card aims to give our customers the unique experience of using multiple cards while holding just one piece of plastic. It has been our utmost priority to provide unmatched services to our customers and with this new service, we also hope to reach out to new customers who have till date, avoided availing debit or credit cards due to hassles of maintaining multiple plastics.”

The key features of 1Money are:

• The customer will get Visa Platinum Platform related benefits
• Platinum events from Standard Chartered Bank
• Cardholder will get Free Priority Pass
• Free Dining Plus Card offering dining and lifestyle benefits across the country
• Cardholder can avail Petrol Surcharge waiver
• ATM / POS Debit usage of Rs. 200,000 per day
  

The annual fee of the card will be Rs. 6000. Initially the card will be launched in the key metros and later it would be rolled out across in other cities.