COIMBATORE: State Bank of India (SBI) is promoting technology in banking for the convenient of its customers, Deputy General Manager of the bank P.J. Thomas said here on Tuesday.

Speaking at the launch of a publicity campaign on mobile banking, he said the Bank focused on customers since its inception. It had 354 branches in 1954 and over 12,000 now. With the other banks in the State Bank group, it had 14,000 branches. The bank planned to have 15,000 branches by the end of the year.

Mr. Thomas said SBI was a pioneer in financial inclusion. There were still lakhs of villages in the country that were unbanked.

The bank had covered one lakh villages under banking services. The ATM network with the SBI group was over 20,000 now and by the end of March this would be 25,000. The penetration of mobile banking had to improve, he said.

Regional Manager, Region I, Coimbatore S. Venkataraman said apart from services such as net banking, the bank offered mobile banking too. In order to create more awareness among the public, the publicity van would be stationed near select ATMs till February 4.

According to a release from the bank, SBI customers would be able to make on-the-spot registration at the van for mobile banking facility.

Some of the features of SBI Freedom were: sending cheque book request, fund transfer within the bank from one account to another with a limit of Rs. 50,000 a day and maximum Rs. 2,50,000 a month and mini statement of last five transaction of the respective account and payment of utility bills.

Coimbatore Mayor R. Venkatachalam flagged off the publicity van.

Courtesy - Hindu