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"The bank was aiming to reach an aggregate business figure of Rs 8.50 lakh crore with a deposit growth of 16-17% and advances growth of 19-20% by March 2015," bank's Chairman and Managing Director R K Dubey told reporters here.
During 2013-14 fiscal, the bank's business had touched Rs 7.22 lakh crore. Last year, the GDP growth had dipped, there was slow down in economy and raising capital was a problem.
But the bank registered a 20.7% growth, opened 1,027 branches of which 80% were in rural and semi-urban areas, he said. The public sector lender will add 1,250 branches this year, including 100 in Kerala, to increase its branch strength from 4,755 to 6,000 and ATMs from 6,312 to 10,000 by March next year, he said.
The bank was planning to raise capital of Rs 3,000 crore this fiscal to meet its capital requirement. "We may raise capital from government or from market or from bonds. As market improves, we will go for the best option subject to government and RBI approval," he said.
The bank has five overseas branches -- London, Leicester, Hong Kong, Manama and Shanghai and had plans to open 20 more branches abroad. Total business of the foreign branches reached Rs 43,0450 crore during the previous fiscal, he said.
It would be opening a branch at Johannesburg in South Africa and has plans to open branches at New York by June this year and eight other international centres, including Dubai, Qatar, Frankfurt, Sao Paulo, Dar-es-Salaam and Tokyo, by march next. On recruitments, he said 9,000 persons were recruited in various categories last year and 8,000 would be taken this year. The total staff strength of the bank was 50,000.
Asked about media reports that government wanted commercial banks to offer interest free loans of up to Rs 50,000 to victims of loan sharks, Dubey said "under no scheme loans can be given at zero rate of interest. Loans cannot be given as doles. Interest can be subsidised by the government", he said. The bank was also aiming to reduce its gross NPA to touch approximately 2% and Net NPA 1-1.25% this year.
Later, Dubey inaugurated the bank's third circle office in Kerala here in the presence of K V Thomas, MP and former minister, P Rajeev, MP, V S Krishnakumar, Executive Director. The branch will be headed by C G Nair, Deputy General Manager.
The circle office covers four districts of Kerala with 125 branches-- in districts of Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad and idukki. There were plans to open another circle office in next 2 years either at Palakkad or Thrissur or both as both are lead districts with over 40 branches, Dubey said. There are plans to add around 75 branches in Ernakulam circle in the unbanked areas Kerala besides 30 branches in Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam and 15 branches in Idukki.
Canara Bank had committed Rs 1,170 crore to Kochi Metro project and we are considering some big proposals from governemnt and big PPP, he said. The total business of Ernakulam circle is Rs 13,000 crore with CD ratio of 86%. The finance to agriculture is Rs 3,000 crore, SME is Rs 1,500 crore and priority sector is Rs 4,900 crore.
This year, the bank has tied up with professional colleges to sanction loans for needy students. The students will not have to run after banks for loans. The bank was hoping for a 20-25% growth in educational loans from the state, he said.
