SBI ATM opens today in Hunphun

HUNPHUN | February 14 : The long cherished dream of having more banks and ATM booths in Hunphun (formerly Ukhrul) would be coming true on February 15th, 2011 with the opening of State Bank of India (SBI) branch with ATM at Somsai. According to the district administration sources, SBI started functioning at Somsai on February 3 last after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials visited SBI site and reportedly  give the final approval for opening of the currency chest.
While talking with the deputy commissioner concerning the development, confirmation came that the branch will be officially opened on February 15 along with the ATM booth.
In the meantime, Punjab National Bank will also open a branch at Hunphun with probable site at the mini secretariat. Sources informed that the process is however again getting delayed which according to the bank is due to staff shortage in the North East sector.
In the meantime, the deputy commissioner of Hunphun express appreciation to the efforts put by 10 sector Assam Rifles and 17 Assam Rifles by providing infrastructural support and momentum to this project. Moreover, the DC also stated that measures have been also initiated to bring more bank branches to serve the people in the district in coming years too. Axis bank has also been invited to open a branch, sources added.
It is pertinent to mention  that due to the lone banking facility in the district (i.e. United Bank  of India, Hunphun branch) it could not effectively serve the population of over 1,55,795 of the district, despite their endeavour. It is also against the guidelines of banking institution where a bank branches like rural or urban or any other bank branches needs to be establish when the population is 15,000 or above but unfortunately it was not so in the case of Hunphun district, so the district have been suffering economically and financially for the last two decades.
In an unrelated issue it is also inform that the Mini-secretariat of the district where 98% had been finished will be likely inaugurated in the last week of February 2011 possibly by the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, a reliable source informed.