Union Bank of India plans more branches in UP

Union Bank of India has chalked out a development plan to mark its presence in the hitherto untouched regions of Uttar Pradesh. The bank currently has 439 branches and 32 extension counters in the state.

"There are at least 18 districts in the state where we still have to mark our presence. We have applied for permission to the Reserve Bank of India and will soon be setting up branches in areas like Pilibhit, Gonda, Balrampur, Chitrakoot, Sonebhadra and Rabertsganj to get new customers," said Sunil Ghugre, general manager, Union Bank of India (Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand zone).

The bank will shortly open two regional offices, one each in Allahabad and Agra, which will take the number of regional offices for the bank in the state to 10. About 39 branches will be opened in the state in the current financial year.

"We have just finalised an agreement with the Railway Authority Board to set up an automated teller machine (ATM) at the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow. Another 50 ATMs will be opened in the state by the end of year," said Ghugre.

The bank has also established a special "Rural Unemployed Youth Training Centre" at Sehmalpur village in Varanasi to train youths in activities like bee keeping, making agarbattis (scented sticks) and medicinal plant cultivation.

United Bank of India set up its first representative office in Shanghai in China on May 18. The office was inaugurated by Vishnu Prakash, consul General of India at Shanghai in the presence of MV Nair, chairman and managing director, United Bank of India. The representative office will primarily carry out a liaison function to facilitate trade and business opportunities between India and China.

The bank has also received approval from the RBI for opening branches in Hong Kong and Doha and representative offices in Beijing and Guangdong.