NPA status to improve; remote surveillance for ATMs: CGM
The State Bank of India (SBI) has proposed to the Government to provide air-conditioning to the interiors of the Jagannath Temple and the State Government has shown willingness to the proposal. If the servitors agree in time then the project may even be completed before the Nabakalebar festival next year.
SBI Chief General Manager Krishna Mohan Trivedi of the local Head Office (lHO) Odisha, disclosed the development at a Press meet here on Tuesday to mark the 35th foundation day of the lHO, which was created on June 18, 1979.
Giving accounts of the performance of the circle in the last one year, Trivedi reeled out impressive figures to underline the reach of the bank and its commitment to the State. The bank has 779 branches which cater to Rs 1.25 crore deposit accounts and Rs11 .23 lakh loan accounts that include 1.2 lakh micro, small and medium enterprises. The bank has 1831 ATMs in the State which is set to go up by at least another 400 machines in the current financial year.
On the impressive retail loan portfolio, he said the bank has Rs 2850 crore as home loan, Rs 627 crore as automobile loans and Rs 866 crore as education loan. In all these loans, the bank offers a woman borrower a better rate of interest and that is also extended to agriculture loans and tractor loans.
Replying to a question on the quantum of nonperforming assets, he said the bank’s NPA in the State at the moment is about Rs 600 crore less than the level that existed on March 31, 2012. Approximately, 33 per cent of the NPA is on account of the mining sector, 15 per cent is from the metals sector and 15 per cent is contributed by the transport sector. “With improvement in the economic scenario of the country, these sectors have shown signs of revival and the NPAs should show strong improvement,” he added.
Sharing the concern of the media regarding safety at the ATMs, he disclosed that the bank is trying out a remote surveillance system as a pilot project in selected sites which involves monitoring though CCTV cameras at a central location and a quick reaction team to handle emergencies.
Others present at the meeting included General Managers Rajeev Verma and PVSlN Murty, DGMs Venkatesh G Hegde and Shreekant and AGM Public Relations SK Praharaj.