VISAKHAPATNAM : The State Bank of India (SBI) launched the State’s first ‘sbi INTOUCH’ branch in Visakhapatnam Friday to offer digital banking facility for its customers. The ‘sbi INTOUCH’ facility offers online self-service mode facilities such as instant account opening where a customer can open an account in 15 minutes.
SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya who inaugurated the new branch remotely online, said that the bank was planning to roll out five more such branches in the State and 200 across the country in the current fiscal. According to her, the Visakhapatnam branch is the ninth in the country and fourth in South India. Of the five proposed digital branches in Andhra Pradesh, another branch will be opened in Visakhapatnam and one each at Vijayawada, Tirupati, Kakinada and Rajahmundry.
Speaking at the launch, SBI-Andhra Pradesh general manager (network-II) Ashwin K Mehta said the facility provides a unique interactive digital wall that facilitates customers to apply online loan products offered by the bank in the education, personal and car loan segments. The branch offers online self-service kiosks and also has facilities to issue instant debit card, besides offering financial and wealth management advice through remote expert module.
“This is part of our initiative to give a digital push to all services offered by the bank to meet the growing expectations from young India and also contributing to the Prime Minister’s dream of Digital India,” he said.
Customers can also avail of online banking kiosks to learn and use Internet banking as well as utilise the Express Banking Zone that includes ATM, recycler, Passbook printer (Swayam) and electronic cheque drop machines.
SBI deputy general manager Ajoy Kumar Pandit, Visakhapatnam region-V regional manager MVSSNS Prasad, branch manager K Sudheer and others attended the function.