SBI expects integration to finish in three months

New Delhi: State Bank of India, which would start merger process of five associates and Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) from April 1, expects integration to be completed in three months.

"SBI has sought three-month time from RBI for merger. It should be done by that timeframe," SBI Managing Director (national banking group) Rajnish Kumar said here. "The merger has to be done in phases.

As data are integrated, the new passbook and cheque books would be issued. The complete integration of various banks should take 3 months," he said. Post merger, he said about 1,500 branches to be shut because of duplication.

"There are many duplication and they need to be rationalised. About 1,500-1,600 branches have to be rationalised.

The closure could be of SBI or associate bank depending on location," he said. The government has already given approval for merger of State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Travancore (SBT), State Bank of Patiala (SBP), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH) and BMB.

With the merger of all the five associates, SBI is expected to become a lender of global proportions with an asset base of Rs 37 trillion (Rs 37 lakh crore) or over USD 555 billion, 22,500 branches and 58,000 ATMs.

It will have over 50 crore customers. SBI first merged State Bank of Saurashtra with itself in 2008. Two years later, State Bank of Indore was merged with it. The board of SBI earlier approved the merge plan under which SBBJ shareholders will get 28 shares of SBI (Re 1 each) for every 10 shares (Rs 10 each) held. Similarly, SBM and SBT shareholders will get 22 shares of SBI for every 10 shares.

SBI had approved separate schemes of acquisition of State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Hyderabad. There will not be any share swap or cash outgo as they are wholly-owned by the SBI.