Credit growth revival top priority: Rajnish Kumar

In his first interaction with the media after being appointed as the chairman-designate of SBI, Kumar said retail credit will drive loan book expansion in near term

Being selected to head the country’s largest bank at a time when the banking sector is passing through trying times, State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman-Designate Rajnish Kumar said his immediate priorities would be to revive credit growth and stressed asset resolution. The retail credit will drive loan book expansion in near term, he said in his first media interaction after the announcement. Edited excerpts from a conference call:

What would be your top priorities as chairman?

Reviving credit growth and resolution of stressed asset are the topmost challenges. We are undergoing digital transformation in the bank, an initiative I