Punjab National Bank (PNB), one of India’s leading public sector banks, marked its 131st Foundation Day on 12 April, celebrating over a century of resilience, trust, and customer-centric banking. The event at PNB’s headquarters in Dwarka, New Delhi, was attended by distinguished dignitaries, bank executives, employees, and customers, highlighting the bank’s ongoing commitment to innovation, financial inclusion, and digital transformation. M. Nagaraju, Secretary of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), commended PNB for its innovative product offerings, noting their contribution to enhancing financial inclusion and customer experience. He also praised the bank’s initiatives to promote cyber awareness, reinforcing its dedication to secure and responsible banking. Ashok Chandra, Managing Director and CEO of PNB, expressed gratitude to the stakeholders and reflected on the bank’s significant role in India’s development. He stated, “PNB has been a cornerstone in India’s growth, offering credit across all sectors and ensuring financial inclusion. Our initiatives have supported the underprivileged, empowered citizens, educated youth, raised farmers’ incomes, and fostered entrepreneurship—all aligned with the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.” To commemorate its Foundation Day, PNB launched 34 new products and services, including 12 customer-centric deposit schemes and 10 digital transformation products. Among the new deposit products are schemes tailored for salaried professionals, women, defence personnel, farmers, NRIs, senior citizens, pensioners, students, and youth. These schemes come with features such as personalised account numbers, life and personal accident insurance, healthcare benefits, and upgraded debit card functionalities. Flagship offerings include the PNB Salary Savings Account (Neo, Excel, Optima, Imperial), the Punjab National Bank Women Power Scheme (Pearl, Emerald, Solitaire), PNB Kisan Saving Fund (Harit, Samriddhi), PNB Rakshak Plus (for armed forces and police personnel), and the PNB Samman Account (for senior citizens and pensioners). PNB has also introduced a QR code-based customer feedback mechanism, a live-chat assistant named “Pihu,” and new internal banking functionalities to improve customer service. As part of its digital transformation, PNB unveiled 10 new tech-driven services, including a single-window DEMAT and trading account onboarding process, digital loan facilities against deposits, WhatsApp-based fixed deposit bookings, and enhancements to the PNB One Biz app. Other key initiatives include GST Express Loans for new-to-bank customers up to ?1 crore, Digi MSME Loans up to ?25 lakh, self-onboarding for savings and PPF accounts, and loans for rooftop solar installations. In line with its social responsibility efforts, PNB, in partnership with PNB PRERNA (an association of senior women officials and their families), announced several new CSR collaborations. The bank partnered with the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) foundation to support the wellbeing and education of underprivileged indigenous students in Bhubaneswar. PNB also collaborated with the Water for People India Trust to support the “Harvest for Resilience” project and donated infrastructure items to government schools in Delhi. The event concluded with cultural performances by the Punjab National Bank Parivaar and live music by renowned singers Meiyang Chang and Jahnvi Shrimankar.Image Source:www.dnaindia.com