People’s Bank celebrates its 57th anniversary on 01st July 2018. The establishment of the bank under the Act no. 29 of 1961 as a State owned bank with special mandate to reach out the rural community was a landmark initiative in the banking history of our country.
Banking history of our country dates back to the year 1828, when the first commercial bank was established. But the needs of the rural communities were not catered by them, because they were established by colonial rulers to provide facilities to plantation and commercial sectors.
Prior to the advent of the People’s Bank, commercial bank branches were located exclusively in urban centers. Only people fluent in English were able to do business with them, depriving the access to banking to others due to language barriers. Although Sinhala and Tamil languages are the national languages, business of those banks was conducted in English, until People’s Bank broke through this barrier by adopting them when conducting business in their branches. So rural areas were dominated by informal source of lending at exorbitant interest rates. Even employment opportunities were also limited to English speaking people.
Role in popularizing banking service
Since the inception of the People’s Bank in 1961, it played a pioneering role in popularize the banking service by opening branches in rural and estate areas, which were previously unexposed to traditional bankers. Out of the 09 branches opened in the year 1961, eight branches were located in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruva, Hingurakgoda, Hambantota, Matale and Puttalama. Its first branch was opened at Duke Street, Colombo, where I was also privileged to become the Chief Manager in the year 1996.
Staff members attached to those branches located in dry isolated areas had to work under very difficult condition, as there were no basic facilities such as water, electricity, telephone, transport, lodging, and health facilities etc. Most of the branches were like ovens during the day time, because roofs are covered with galvanized sheets. So they worked under such austere condition to build a strong sustainable foundation for the bank.
People’s Bank introduced multitude of products and services recognizing the needs of the people with the view of performing their social responsibility towards the nation. Also used unconventional methods such as pawning to reach peoples in every social stratum. The product cycle spread out from the cradle to twilight years of the people such as Isuru Udana for new born infants, Sisu Udana for students, YES for young generation, Vanitha Vasana, and Parinatha for senior citizens.
A there were no suitable people to introduce rural people to the bank, they were allowed to prove their identity by submitting their rice ration books and pay a small sum of Rs.5/= as initial deposit to open accounts. Specimen forms were displayed in the notice boards to instruct them how to fill the necessary forms to open accounts.
Investment Savings Accounts, a credit linked savings account was introduced to attract regular savers and also to inculcate savings discipline among them. They were also qualified to obtain loans for their financial needs such as housing, consumption by submitting two sureties with same qualifications.
Multi-purpose co-operative societies (MPCS) operated in affiliation with People’s Bank since the beginning of the Bank. Their credit requirements were provided charging nominal interest rates after obtaining simple securities. The bank was the pioneer lender in agriculture loans to farmers through them.
Co-operative Rural banks
Co-operative Rural Banks (CRB) was set up as the banking arm of the MPCS to institutionalize the rural credit through them. First CRB was opened at Menikhinna in 1964.CRBs were supervised by Peoples Bank, furnishing them with financial and management assistance, as MPCS covered a large area. CRBs were able to reach large segment of rural population than a bank branch.
Pawning Advances
Lending against pawned gold articles also started by the bank to relieve the people from the clutches of the money lenders who charged exorbitant interest rates. This scheme was severely criticized by other banks. But today they also have started pawning business as their Major Cash Cow. CRBs were also authorized to grant pawning advances as agents of People’s Bank Pawning and Savings Centers opened by the bank provide more convenient access to people.
Loan Schemes
Various loan schemes had been introduced to provide facilities to various segments of the community .Gurusetha, Suva sevana, government employees loan scheme, Electricity loans, S.M.I.loans, housing and commercial loans are some of them designed to grant access for their various needs.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Peoples Bank implemented its services considering its responsibility towards the society to uplift rural communities leading to national development. Scholarships were granted through Sisu Udana Kusalatha Pranama scheme to students who excelled in their 5th standard scholarship and GCE (OL) exams. The bank donated a hostel tin Kinsey Road to medical student of the Colombo University.
When the business of Central Bank were adversely affected by the bomb explosion in 1996, People’s Bank offered its service by handling refinance portfolios by receiving and disbursing refinance funds and receiving repayment of loans. In case of EPF, the bank undertook to collect contributions and make refunds to EPF members.
Peoples Bank gave a new meaning to traditional new year customs performed by Sinhala and Tamil communities in auspicious times by introducing new year ganudenu custom through the bank in 1973. Today other banks also follow the same every year. Telecasting of Randoli Perahara of Sri Dalada Maligaya was also sponsored by the bank since 1990s.
The most important strength of the bank is people’s confidence. Their firm loyalty was first tested in 1992, when the then finance minister made a controversial statement stating that the bank was technically insolvent with negative net worth. But it had not affected adversely and depositors took the news very impatiently and assured their confidence further without making any panic withdrawals of deposits.
The secret behind this extra ordinary support of the customers was their firm loyalty which People’s Bank had been successful in building over a long period of time.
U.A.WEERARATNE (Retired Chief Manger/ Peoples Bank)
(The writer had served the bank as chief manager, Duke Street branch, international division, branch inspection department and regional manager, Ampara district)
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