Odisha Chief Secretary Flags Off ICICI Bank Mobile ATM For FANI-Hit Puri Residents

Bhubaneswar: A mobile ATM of ICICI Bank was flagged off by Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi from the premises of State Secretariat on Friday in order to bring key banking services to the doorstep of the residents impacted by cyclone Fani in Puri district.

Like a regular ATM, the mobile ATM offers key banking services including cash withdrawals and account related information such as account balance and mini statement. With this, the Bank now operates two mobile ATMs in the cyclone-hit rural and remote areas of Puri district. 

Padhi while complimenting the efforts of ICICI Bank for bringing mobile ATM to Odisha said that the mobile ATM would ease cash withdrawal for people in remote places particularly in the cyclone affected district of Puri.

Replying to a media query on the occasion, Finance Secretary Ashok Kumar Meena said the banking situation in cyclone-hit Puri district is fast changing towards normalcy. As of now 45 per cent of ATMs in the district have started functioning. The Banks branches have also started transaction at their counters. 

Around 26 mobile ATMs of different banks are operating in the areas where stationed ATMs are not fully functional. The mobile ATMs will operate in the areas where there is necessity under the guidance of district administration as per availability of data connectivity, he added.

Zonal Head – Retail of ICICI Bank, Odisha & Chhattisgarh, Pradosh Rout, said, “We at ICICI Bank are committed to assist rebuilding the state through our own initiatives as well as in partnership with the state government and the district authorities. The mobile ATMs are aimed at facilitating residents of Puri district with cash withdrawal and other key banking requirements.”  

The deployment of the mobile ATM comes close on the heels of multiple initiatives taken by the Bank in the State, post cyclone Fani. The list includes:

• Contribution of Rs 10 crore to aid the State government and local authorities.
• Waiving off penalties on late payment of EMI in May for retail loans—home, car and personal—for customers in the affected areas of the State. It has also waived off late payment fee of credit card dues as well as cheque bouncing charges for May, 2019.
• Facilitating contribution towards Odisha Chief Minister’s Relief Fund through activation of QR code at its various branches across the country.
• Enabling all of its ATMs across the country to collect contributions from customers towards the Odisha Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

ICICI Bank has restored normalcy of banking operations at its branches and ATMs in Odisha. Its two branches in Puri district are also fully functional.