Sri Vijaya Puram, July 21: A high-level team from State Bank of India (SBI), Port Blair, led by Mr. Santosh Sahu, Regional Manager, along with Mr. P.K. Ummer Farroq, Chief Manager, UTLBC; Mr. K.N. Raju, Chief Manager; and Mr. C. Raj, Director, RSETI, undertook a visit to Guptapara Constituency, South Andaman on 20th July 2025. The objective of the visit was to assess the Bank’s ongoing and future interventions in the development of the area.
The team was warmly received by Mr. Prakash Adhikari, Adhyaksh, Zilla Parishad, South Andaman (ZPSA), and other elected Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members of the region.
During the visit, the team inspected several key sites, including the burial ground at Manglutan. The Bank officials assured that under SBI’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the site would be developed with proper lighting facilities to enhance public utility and safety.
The team also visited Guptapara Junction and the Fish Landing Jetty at Guptapara. Responding to the request of the Adhyaksh, ZPSA, the team committed to opening a new SBI branch at Guptapara Junction to better serve the banking needs of residents in Manjery village, particularly those residing in its farthest areas.
At the fish landing jetty, the visiting officials interacted with members of the fishermen community. The team emphasized the importance of financial inclusion and encouraged the community to open bank accounts. SBI assured the facilitation of account opening by deputing a bank representative on-call to support the fishermen with the necessary documentation and processes.
Mr. Prakash Adhikari, Adhyaksh, ZPSA expressed his appreciation for the proactive engagement and visit by the SBI team. He welcomed the assurances given and hoped that the proposed initiatives would significantly enhance financial access and infrastructure in the region.
The visit concluded with a mutual commitment to strengthen collaboration between SBI and local bodies for the holistic development of A & N Islands.
