A view of the SBI ATM counter in Bistupur. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, April 11: State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to set up 17 new Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in East Singhbhum and neighbouring West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan district this year.

The bank will also set up 12 ATM outlets at strategic locations in East Singhbhum.

Three ATM outlets would be set up in West Singhbhum, while two would be set up in Seraikela-Kharsawan.

These ATMs would be set up within three months.

Kumar Rajan, regional manager of SBI (Singhbhum-Kolhan), said that the bank has decided to set up more ATM outlets to provide more banking facilities within and on the outskirts of the district headquarters of the three districts. At present there are a total of 31 ATMs. “The customer base comprises rural as well urban population of Singhbhum-Kolhan. We have decided to provide equal facilities to both segment of customers,” Rajan said.

Earlier, residents had to travel far to withdraw hard cash from ATMs. Now, their troubles would be eliminated, said Rajan.

“The new outlets would be set up at Baharagora, Chandil and other blocks of the East Singhbhum. We have planned to set up a new outlet near the Chaibasa branch office in West Singhbhum. Two more ATMs would be installed in Chakradharpur sub division of adjoining West Singhbhum and two would be set up at Seraikela,” Rajan said adding that they have the largest number of branches in rural areas of the district.

The customer-base is increasing each passing year in the Singhbhum-Kolhan region, Rajan said.

Vinod Kumar, account holder of SBI, said that the bank has no choice but to increase its facilities to compete with private banks in rural and urban areas of the state.

“The private banks are giving more facilities compared to any nationalised bank. So the decision to set up more ATM outlets in the southern part of the state has been welcomed,” Kumar said.