EASE Reforms Boost India's PSU Banks

New Delhi, Jul 3 (PTI) Enhanced Access & Service Excellence (EASE) reforms have supported public sector banks in advancing the Viksit Bharat vision by deepening MSME outreach, developing sectoral capabilities, and enhancing credit access, IBA Chief Executive Atul Kumar Goel said on Thursday.

Public sector banks (PSBs) have accelerated GenAI readiness and implemented pilot use cases, strengthened data governance and analytics, adopted cloud for scalable operations, and enabled digital operating models for cost efficiency and quality, he said in a series of posts on X.

At the same time, the Indian Banks' Association chief said, banks have strengthened systems for operational and cyber risk, fast-tracked NPA recovery via streamlined processes, digitised collections, and enhanced monitoring with deeper credit & market risk insights.

The reforms have helped PSBs improve their employee productivity through scientific target-setting, performance appraisals, gender diversity focus, data-driven workforce deployment and succession planning, and personalised learning and development, he added.


Banks are also putting efforts to enhance customer experience across banking channels, strengthen relationships, and streamline processes to improve convenience and service delivery, he added.

PSU banks have long been at the forefront of driving the country's economic development and expanding the reach of financial services to underserved segments, the EASE 7.0 Annual Report released on Thursday said.

Building on this legacy, EASE 7.0 marks a defining phase in the ongoing transformation of PSBs, it added.

Designed as a strategic initiative to align banking operations with India's evolving developmental priorities, this edition of the EASE reforms for FY25 emphasises a strong customer-first approach, robust risk management practices, and the development of capabilities that equip PSBs to meet the demands of a rapidly changing financial landscape, it said.

EASE 7.0 has led to significant advancements in the operational infrastructure of PSBs and reinforced their role as Catalysts of inclusive and sustainable economic growth, it added.