GUWAHATI, Feb 8 � State Bank of India (SBI), India�s largest bank plans to hire 15,000 people, mostly clerical staff this year to fill up vacancies across its various branches in India. The bank also plans to add nearly 17 new branches, which will take the total number of its branches to 555 in the North East
� North East has emerged as a key market for us and therefore we have accorded top priority in terms of recruitment and opening new branches,� OP Bhatt, Chairman of SBI said while sharing information with reporters here today. In this context, he informed that 90 more ATMs would be opened in the region during the current fiscal to meet the demand of the people. �We have decided to scale up the number of ATMs due to surge in business and customers as well,� he said.
Expressing satisfaction with the present volume of business, he added that North East India is now on the path of growth.
�Our business has crossed over Rs 55,000 crore in the region. To boost our business, we have adopted a three-pronged strategy which includes opening of new branches, setting up of customer service points and appointing Business Correspondents (BCs),� he said.
Bhatt who is retiring, next month, also added that under the Financial Inclusion programme, more un-banked areas would be covered. �Under the programme, the bank has set a target to cover 407 villages by March 2011 in the North East, of which 207 have already been covered so far�, Bhatt informed.
Replying to a question about circulation of counterfeit notes, he informed that the bank staff working in the bordering areas had been provided training. �We have installed new machines to detect fake currencies. Moreover, the bank staff are in close touch with security agencies to contain the problem,� Bhatt said.
Worried about frequent seizure of counterfeit notes, the Reserve Bank of India has asked all the banks operating in the North East to remain vigilant due to its close border with foreign countries.
