Managing Director (NBG) State Bank of India Rajnish Kumar on his visit to Bhopal on Friday inaugurated a two-day SME Fair at Hindi Bhawan. Speaking on the occasion, Kumar stated that Bank is pioneer and market leader in financing SMEs with nearly 9 lakh SME borrowers. He urged upon the visitors to take maximum benefit of the fair and tell all interested to visit the fair.
later in the evening Kumar handed over keys of three school buses costing Rs. 22 lakh to Nitya Sewa Society and Aarambh Education and Community Development Society, Bhopal and a donation cheque of Rs. 4 lakh to MP Tiger Foundation Society, Bhopal for adoption of tiger and a tigress at Van Vihar, Bhopal.
State Bank’s CSR activity touches the lives of millions of poor and needy across the length and breadth of the country and the Bank has comprehensive CSR policy and earmarks 1% of the previous year’s net profit as CSR spend budget for the year, expressed Kumar.
The focus areas of Bank’s CSR activities are supporting education, supporting health-care, supporting sanitation, livelihood creation and assistance during natural calamities like floods/ droughts etc. SBI spent 115.80 crore on these activities during the year 2014-15 and during the financial year 2015-16 the Bank has spent more than Rs. 131 crores, approximately.
In Bhopal Circle, which controls both the states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh SBI donated Rs 4.37 crore in the year 2014-15 and Rs 10.04 crore in the year 2015-16.
SBI constructed 20 toilets in various girl schools at Gwalior during the past financial year and has made a provision for construction of 20 more such toilets in the current financial year under Swachch Vidyalaya Campaign of Govt. of India. SBI donated 3337 stretcher trollies and wheel chairs costing Rs 1.38 crore to 586 needy hospitals in MP &CG during the past financial year apart from donations to the various NGOs spread throughout the Circle, thereby the Bank has tried to reach the remotest area of both the States.