The first and the only private bank to have been founded in the State in the pre-Independence era – Andhra Bank – completed 90 years of service.
The bank right from its inception in 1923 has been setting benchmarks in banking and continued to do so even after its nationalisation in 1980, Zonal Manager, Visakhapatnam Zone, A. Narayana Prasad said.
Addressing the media here on Thursday, he said that the Bank has opened a branch at Pedamerangi in Vizianagaram district and a new ATM at its Visalakshinagar branch in the city on Thursday to mark the occasion. The bank was opening 90 branches across the country to celebrate its completion of 90 years, he explained.
The bank that pioneered credit card in India continues to be at the forefront of customer service among all banks in India, both private and public sector, he said. To mark its 90 years service the bank launched a programme – Navashakti – to improve the customer comfort.
The Navashakti branches would offer 24x7x365 banking services to the customers by providing a Cash Deposit Machine, Cheque Deposit Machine, self-printing passbook kiosk, Internet kiosk apart from an ATM.
What sets this service apart is that this is going to be integrated with the bank’s branch thereby helping customers get quick service during banking hours. Andhra Bank was the only bank to launch such an integrated service, he explained.
The Seetammadhara Branch was being made into a Navashakti branch and soon another five in the city would also provide such services. The branch would also have a small coin dispenser.
It would take time for the service to get popular with the customers, he admitted. The bank was going to establish proof of service branches before taking up its promotion among the general customers.
The service was targeted at the young and tech-savvy generation.
The bank is planning to add another 10 branches, five in Visakhapatnam district and five in Vizianagaram district by the end of the financial year. The zone, comprising Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts, has 75 branches and three extension counters.
Bank AGM N.V. Rajendra Prasad, chief managers V. Ramakotaiah and D. Kishore Kumar, union leaders T. Seshagiri Rao, D.V. Ranga Rao, I. Kesava Rao and R.V. Ravi Kumar were present.
