Its tech team keeps pushing the boundaries of IT application where savings can be attributed to better manpower utilization, increase in per employee business, and extended business hours. If you want to see the numbers, here they are: PNB has spent Rs 400 crore on technology over the past four years. And, business per employee has increased to Rs 2.3 crores at the end of March 2004 from Rs 2 crore the previous year.

PNB uses Oracle RDBMS, Sun servers, Cisco products for networking and Finacle for transaction processing. In addition, Kondor+ from Reuters is used for the treasury system and ITMS from Synergy Login for the back office. Other software fuelling the systems are the Instant Fund Transfer mechanism, Oracle Data Warehouse for decision control and MIS and Risk Management software on terms with the first model of Basel II. About half of its business is connected through leased lines, ISDN and VPN.

Its Core Banking System (CBS) already acts as a single data bank, a backbone to 800 branches spread across 180 cities. This deployment has lent PNB the status of being the largest core banking system in Asia. The banker has 500 ATMs and also coordinates with the MITR group, which consists of five banks that have gone live on the National Financial switch (NFS) for mutual ATM transactions. The leader has also pioneered the Cheque Truncation System in India.

Security is under continuous audit by using Symantec anti-virus management system and through external penetration tests. Digital certificates are also being given to employees with an associated I-key/ smart card, which connects to the USB port.

Key Highlights • The largest core banking system in Asia • Nasscom Best IT user award 2004 in the BFSI sector • Pioneered Cheque Truncation System in India Future Plans • Increased focus on Net Banking • Online Share Depository Service

Since all the major branches are fully computerized and networked, PNB offers value-added services like 'anywhere anytime banking' through ATMs, and Corporate and Retail Internet Banking Services. New online services have also been developed-bill payment, railway ticketing, and payment of college fees. Its 30-seater captive call center receives about 1200 calls a day. For these initiatives PNB bagged Nasscom Best IT user award 2004 in the BFSI sector. Other acknow–ledgements: ITIL's certification for best practices in data centers; BIS certification for 365 offices; ISO 2000 certification for services.

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