Four years ago, 5,000 State Bank of India customers in Warsaliganj, located in the Nawada district of Bihar, were delighted to receive ATM cards. Today, they are still waiting for an ATM where they can use them.
According to an article by the Times of India, SBI's Warsaliganj branch in the district does not have an ATM, despite having more than 50,000 customers and an annual turnover of more than 8 crore ($1,453,224).
The Punjab National Bank (PNB) and the Oriental Bank, which recently opened a branch at Warsaliganj both have ATMs, the Times reported. Warsaliganj was to have had its own ATM two years ago, but SBI diverted that ATM to another of its branches.
SBI branch manager, Manish Kumar, told the Times he had written at least four letters to the local head office and sent more than a dozen reminders by telephone, but no action had been taken.
Some of the bank's customers have no choice but to take an early morning train to Warsaliganj from adjoining areas in order to do their banking. These customers then must wait for the bank to open, something that would not be necessary if the bank had its promised ATM, Kumar told the Times.
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