World Postal Day – 09th October 2018
World Postal Day
On commemorating The 144th World Postal Day, it is with immense pleasure that we extend our best wishes to the nation’s communication pioneer, the Postal Department, a state institute that is on a joint venture with National Savings Bank. Through the sound bond that is forged between NSB and the Postal Department through a history, which goes back four decades, National Savings Bank has been able to provide a superior level customer service to its customers via innovative channels.
In 1972, as the founder of NSB, Dr N M Perera stated with the futuristic vision of increasing the domestic savings ratio, the unstinting support extended by the Postal Department staff with the leadership of the Post Master General, in the endeavor to promote banking throughout the country including remote areas, has been praiseworthy.
The co-operation of the Postal Department via its island-wide post office network, by way of offering NSB banking services, in order to ensure NSB’s contribution, in the journey towards the economic goals of the country. A core objective of establishing National Savings Bank has been to foster the savings habit among the rural masses and the contribution of the Postal Department in this regard is crucial.
Savings Account opening and maintenance, ITHURUM AYOJANA KAWA loan scheme, ‘Avurudu Wasana’ certificates are some of the key products among banking services operated through post offices, for promoting the savings habit among rural communities.
A substantial customer base comprising the majority of rural account holders have placed their trust on Postal Savings Accounts. These accounts can be operated through any Post Office/sub Post Office or NSB branch in the country and the customers of these accounts are entitled to the 100% government guarantee that is exclusive for NSB deposits and the interest earned thereon.
NSB recently organized many a savings promotional campaigns with the aim of rejuvenating the savings interest and inclination of the rural communities, and in turn mobilizing funds for national development. As always, the support of the Postal Department in all this has been tremendous. Accordingly, a huge public response was received for these campaigns, which were inclusive of a special draw.
Also, through savings promotional campaigns conducted in selected districts, with the total co-operation of the postal staff in Post and Sub Post Offices, National Savings Bank was able to penetrate the rural communities further. Furthermore, NSB has always made it a point to extend the benefits of its gift schemes and the draws to that of Post Office customers as well .
Even during the Sinhala and Hindu New Year season, the postal banking sector has been instrumental in functioning as NSB’s banking arm, by providing banking opportunities to the highly remote areas through ‘Avurudu Wasana’ certificates and traditional New Year’s Day transactions.
A special focus was drawn upon the postal banking sector in restructuring the bank’s regional management system, initiated with the aim of facing the upcoming business challenges of the highly competitive financial market and also due to the rapid expansion of NSB’s branch network in recent years. Accordingly, the thus far, Head Office centralized postal banking operations were decentralized with the responsibility assigned to respective Regional Managers. We believe that this has ensured a far more efficient service towards the postal banking customers.
On this special day, we take the opportunity to compliment, the postal staff including the Post Masters who represent NSB in each and every village, by providing a warm customer service to postal banking customers, who indeed comprise a huge customer base in the Bank with a greater majority consisting of rural customers.
October is a special month for National Savings Bank (NSB), the premier Licensed Specialized Bank in Sri Lanka owned by the Government, which fully guarantee the deposits and interest as expressed explicitly in the statute governing the Bank. With the month starting with World Children’s and Elder’s Day and ending with World Thrift Day, NSB is looking at further inculcating the savings habit among Sri Lankans, especially the young.
According to NSB Deputy General Manager – Marketing Mr. Lal Karunathilake even though the month kicks off with World Children’s Day, World Vegetarian Day, World Teachers day, United Nations Day, Postal Day, and World Thrift Day are celebrated” enabling the bank to line up a campaign that lasts for 30 days.
As the first step in the direction of inculcating the invaluable habit of savings in children’s minds, we started the establishment of school banking units in rural areas in 1973 with the help of an all island post office network. Village school children benefitted the most through interactions with us and many were financial savvy adults later.
We also have a special gift scheme for year 5 scholarship top ranked 15 “Hapan” account holders in a district. We entertain them in a plush hotel and present them with valuable gifts and give them an opportunity to participate in a national event which will be a one of a kind experience in their life.In addition, every child who passes the year 5 scholarship examination will receive a gift, if they have a Hapan or Postal Hapan Account.
Today on commemoration of The World Postal Day, we, at National Savings Bank, once again compliment the Postal Department on being the pioneer in the nation’s communication sphere continuously for over two centuries and also extend our best wishes to Sri Lanka Postal Department for a future with expanded and extensive postal service towards the public.
