State-run, United Bank of India has registered a growth of 10 percent during the first quarter of the current fiscal. The bank also crossed the landmark of Rs 1 lakh crore of business in July 2009.

With this the institution becomes eligible to maintain a second executive director (ED) as per the industry norms by next fiscal.

The bank organized Credit Delivery Camp on the 40th anniversary day of Bank Nationalisation at Sagardighi (Murshidabad District) and Raiganj (Uttar Dinajpur District) on July 19. On the occasion Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee disbursed bank loans to several beneficiaries.

During the camp, loan amounting Rs 67.09 crore were extended to 12,223 beneficiaries from various classes including minority sect, SC/ST, women, SHGs , physically challenged, distressed women and professionals.

The bank also issued 11,111 Kisan Credit Cards, worth Rs 32.89 crore in the camp.

The minister appealed the borrowers to timely repay the loans to enable bank in recycle the funds for further productive purpose.

The minister also applauded bank for setting up the first floating mobile branch in Sunderbans region and for opening its first regional rural branch in West Bengal.

Currently, the bank has a network 1452 branches and has plans to set up another 123 branches during the year. Of these 26 branches will be based in West Bengal.

The bank has already brought 1,067 of existing branches (covering 95% of its business) under core banking solution and plans to cover the remaining by October 2009.

The benchmark prime lending rate of the bank was revised downwards to 12 percent with effect from 1st July 2009.