Public sector lender, Central Bank of India has started celebrations for completing 100 years in banking industry. In order to mark the occasion, the bank plans to set up more offshore branches and also implement core banking solutions (CBS) in all its existing branches, said a top bank official.

In the bank's offshore expansion plans, the countries targetted include Hong Kong, Bhutan, Tanzania and Mozambique, informed Rajeev Kishor Dubey, Executive Director of the bank.

"Opening foreign branches is a part of getting more international business and providing banking facilities to the Indians settled abroad," Dubey said.

"Besides, the bank also plans to include wealth management and asset management services, installing 500 on-site ATMs, IPO/FPO financing and thrust on financial inclusion," he said.

"The bank will provide banking services to 3,000 villages in the country having less than 2,000 population by 2012 as a part of government's directives on implementing Financial Inclusion programme using mobile telephone technology," Dubey said adding "the bank will develop a software in local languages so that it becomes easier for people to get banking facilities."

He also informed about the steps taken by the bank to increase business per employee to Rs 8 crore from last year's figures of less than Rs 5.5 crores.