BASIT FAROOQ:
J&K Bank Chairman and MD R K Chhibber stated this while chairing a ‘Customer Interaction Meet’ convened to obtain customer feedback and seek suggestions for improving the services, products offered by the bank. The meeting was attended by Zonal Head Delhi Ms. Kirti Sharma besides clients of top seven business units of Delhi zone and Heads of the business units.
On the occasion, the customers expressed their gratitude towards the CMD for sparing his precious time to interact with them and promised to take cognizance of his invite. The participants lauded the Bank’s work culture, which they said, lays emphasis upon the professional conduct and personal connect while providing services to customers in an easy and hassle-free manner. They appreciated the fact that the Bank has always extended its helping hand to its customers whenever they faced any difficulty, which was sufficiently evident during the ongoing Covid pandemic, when the Bank empathized and extended every possible help to its customers.
During the discussions, the participants requested for reduction in the interest rates of various products, extra benefits to the Bank’s prime clients and introducing mechanism for custom/income tax payments. They also put forth suggestions like opening of business units for expansion of agriculture/horticulture business at places where bank has less reach in other States/UTs, improving digital payment systems, and introducing some kind of premium customer program.
Hearing patiently to all the concerns raised by the participants, CMD R K Chhibber assured the customers that their suggestions shall be taken into consideration for improving the services/products offered by the bank.
“The pricing policy of bank is under review and will definitely take into account the genuine grievances of the customers”, he said adding, “With enhancement of transaction limit to Rs 4 Lacs, our mPay application is one of the easiest and fastest app available in the market today. Having major focus on improving its technology systems and getting all the IT projects including ‘Finacle-10’ completed within shortest possible time, the Bank has already overcome some of the legacy issues and is moving fast along its envisaged growth trajectory.”
Commenting on asset quality of the Bank, the CMD said that the bank had already made adequate provisioning for the bad accounts and as such there won’t be any significant additional burden on the banks’ balance sheet due to these accounts.
Highlighting the systemic role of J&K Bank in the economic development of UTs of J&K and Ladakh besides growing stakeholders’ confidence in the Bank, the CMD said, “As responsible institution of systemic significance in the region, we remain ever-ready to contribute to the economic development of J&K and Ladakh in a major way. The capital infusion of Rs 500 crores in the bank last year by the UT Government and that of Rs 500 Cr more to be done this year speaks volumes about the unflinching support and growing confidence of our promoter and majority stakeholder.”
Besides, the over-subscription of the banks Employees Stock Purchase Scheme - 2021 for staff to raise capital of up to Rs 150 crores and the increase in returns on the bank’s stocks during the last year are key indicators of growing stakeholders’ confidence in this institution.”
“It is due to this faith and confidence of our stakeholders, the bank has showed handsome profits in the past financial year despite all odds, and I believe, we will grow further in the coming quarters as we march ahead with this renewed stakeholders’ confidence”, he added—(KAT).