Opening of proposed new SBI branch at Ukhrul faces uncertain fate
Source: Hueiyen News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, May 07 2015 :
Over a year after the State Bank of India (SBI) made known its target to Ukhrulites for opening a new branch of the bank at the District Mini Secretariat complex within a short time span, things are apparently back to square one as progress or arrangement for the same has once again stalled for no obvious reasons.
It may be recalled that responding to the public pressure and intervention of the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) to open a new branch of the fast growing nationalized bank in the heart of Ukhrul Town to ease banking congession, officials of SBI had assured to materialize the needs of the public during the month of March last year.
TNL leaders had even held a series of discussion with officials of SBI in this regard in the same year.
"We had anticipated that the proposed branch would be opened before the last financial year as we were communicated so, but my knowledge till date of the plan at best is it is most likely stalled," Branch Manager SBI, Somsai Rameshwar told Hueiyen Lanpao Correspondent Thursday.
Ukhrul town currently has only one SBI branch operating since 2011 from inside the 10th Sector Assam Rifles, Somsai which is located about 5 kms from Ukhrul town.
The public of the township have since been demanding another SBI branch within the town areas, as they find the existing one inconvenient.
Reiterating that SBI Ukhrul cannot help much in the matter, he said that the sanctioning authority is vested in the office of the General Manager, SBI, Guwahati and SBI Regional Business, Babubara, Imphal.
"Last year in the month of October-November, we were informed that the work was underway but as it turned out there apparently have been no positive developments in the work progress," he Rameshwar adding that in the meantime he had to explain the same to a stream of anxious customers who enquired about the proposed new branch in the town.