Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Rural Credit and NABARD's Report on Microfinance

Status of Microfinance in India 2012

Rural Credit through Self-Help Groups (SHG) and Joint Liability Groups (JLG) coupled with Microfinance by the banking system has been spearheaded by NABARD since 1992, taking a cue from the policies and guidelines for priority sector lending of RBI for all commercial banks.  What has started with All India Rural Credit Survey, formation of SBI (1955) and its associates (1957), nationalisation of fourteen plus six commercial banks on two occasions (1969 and 1980) and setting up of Regional Rural Banks (1975) is now culminating in to microfinance.  Inclusive growth,  Financial Inclusion, Financial Literacy, etc are the buzz words these days. Here is a report from NABARD site with some useful data. 

Sunday, May 12, 2013

White Revolution and ATMs by HDFC Bank

This is an amazing development and news for banking community, farmers in dairy industry, technology partners and all related players in the market connected to milk and banking! : http://www.businessworld.in/en/storypage/-/bw/teller%E2%80%99s-tale/863148.16627/page/1

Friday, May 10, 2013

Once an SBIan, forever SBIan

I became nostalgic yesterday, of course like every other day when a group of senior functionaries of the bank (DGM/2 AGMs / 2 CMs) from SBI visited me in campus.  Interestingly, in the evening, I met another ex-SBI female colleague from Mumbai Central Office when I was there during 1984-1992. Having been a proud member of the SBI family for over two decades, got nurtured in the profession thoroughly by a variety of bosses and the system, it is just impossible for me to move away from SBI memories even in thoughts though I quit the bank two decades back.  So, the relationship is over four decades.  As a Pensioner, ex-Banker, now a Professor and active in several social net-working sites, I keep running in to many of my ex-colleagues in various capacities.  I am proud and lucky for this god-sent opportunity. Long Live SBIans.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

SBI Chairman says not looking at group consolidation for now - Business Line

SBI Chairman says not looking at group consolidation for now - Business Line

Merging of the seven associate banks with the parent State Bank of India has been a live issue for over decades.  Some times, the managements and Officer staff were in favour but not the trade unions.  However, in last few years, SB Indore and SB Saurashtra were merged with SBI and now five more are in the waiting.  The Finance Ministers keep announcing about consolidation of public sector banks but it never happened except the above.  Government and RBI also should spell out their policy on these matters to give a proper direction instead of leaving to the respective managements.  Pros and Cons of such mergers be spelt out and announced by means of a white paper to the public, customers, trade unions, and other stake holders and a final time-bound program be drawn.  Only then, our PSBs can grow to the level of global standards like banks in China or Japan.

Cobrapost Expose 2: Banks, LIC face FinMin heat - Business Line

Cobrapost Expose 2: Banks, LIC face FinMin heat - Business Line

Banks are in the business of attracting deposits and sanctioning of loans besides other services.  Customer Service is at the top of their agenda.  Despite two decades of reforms and competition with Private Banks as also introduction of technology at the cost of displeasing the trade unions, there has always been a blame on their quality of service, productivity and profitability.  KYC norms are being meticulously observed by all types of banks for over a decade.  Asset Liability and Risk Management guidelines are complied with strictly.  With all these liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation measures in place, business growth is aimed at on an ongoing basis by all the banks.  And, in the process, they end up landing in these scandals. So sad and unfortunate!