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Q. What gave you an edge over your peers in winning the Skoch Award 2016 in IT innovation? A. Skoch Group is a Gurgaon-based think tank dealing with socio-economic issues with a focus on inclusive growth. In 2016, Syndicate Bank was awarded the Skoch Smart Technology Silver Award 2016 for developing and implementing NPATracker, Geo Tagging Application and Online Fee Collection Facility for Small Institutions.Our innovations and technology upgradations are competent enough and helpful for both employees and customers. Our NPA Tracker and Geo Tagging Application are first-of-its-kind applications, which are helpful to our employees, keeping them vigilant and helping them to do vigorous follow-up with borrowers for repayment of loans.Q. Would you please mention other awards?A.  Syndicate Bank has won the SKOCH Awards for: Privilege Identity Management; Aaadhar ePDS; Aadhaar Pay;  eKYC Online Account Opening; Savethe Farmer Campaign; and Card Limit ManagementQ. How much foreign technology is there in Indian Banks?  A. Here, technology is both in terms of software and hardware. In case of software, Indian banks are prudent enough to have tech savvy employees, who are capable of handling the software for new initiatives. In our bank, a separateteam is working onin-house applications and onnew initiatives. Q. How far is the mechanisation in banking industry reducing costs? Please give an estimate of this in the last five years.A.  With the mechanisation of the banking industry, now-a-days, customers are enjoying hassle-free banking. Any time, any where banking services are provided. Our Budget estimates are on a yearly basis and are subjectto the projects/proposals at hand. Hence, it differs fromyear to year.Q. From different reports it is known that 17% of the respondents were unaware of the bank’s digital offerings and 35% were aware but were not availing these.  Additionally, only 42% of the users expressed satisfaction with use. Then how do you like to face the challenges and convert more and more into users?A. The above-mentioned strategiesmight be for the urban and metro customers/users. In Syndicate Bank, the customer base from the rural areais significant and comparatively equalto the urban customer base. In consonance with the AEPS (Aadhaar Enabled Payment Systems).Q. It is reported that 70% of the MSME and 90% of the shopkeepers transact through cash and cheques. Only 90% of MSME collect orders online and only 5% accept payments online. What can be done to change the situation? What canbe the role of the banking industry here?A. Post-demonetisation and after the implementation of the GST, the ratios will definitely differ from the pre-demonetisation and pre-GST period ratios. Now this is a transition period, hence, let us wait for fresh ratios.Q. Skoch group deals with socio-economic issues with a focus on inclusive growth. What is the role of SyndicateBank to enhance inclusive growth of the country?A. Our contributions are towards rural area banking, as such, upgradation of bandwidth of LAN connectivity in rural bran-ches to increase service qualityand bringing awareness in internet usage in rural areas, may help them in educating the customers about online banking and making full use of it.                                ―As told to BE’s  Kishore Kumar Biswas