The non-performing assets (NPAs) of the bank registered a fall by 2.1 per cent to 8.78 per cent during the period as against 10.88 per cent in 1997-98.

The bank's interest income has gone up by 18.48 per cent to Rs 1,225.77 crore from Rs 1,034.55 crore in 1997-98 while the non-interest income has increased by 11.74 per cent to Rs 190.29 crore.

During 1998-99, the bank's aggregate deposits grew by 22.23 per cent to Rs 10,084.79 crore and advances grew by 15.09 per cent to Rs 5,328.38 crore as against Rs 4,630.19 crore last year. Its priority sector advances stood at Rs 2,037.58 crore constituting 40.59 per cent of the bank's net credit against the benchmark of 40 per cent. Its market share improved to 1.45 per cent from1.40 per cent during the period.

The investment portfolio stood at Rs 5,910.86 crore as against Rs 3,694.60 crore in the previous year.

During this period, the bank's earning per share increased to Rs 647 from Rs 563 in the previous year and book value per share increased to Rs 2,876 from Rs 2,257. The bank's return on assets (ROA) stood at 0.94 per cent as against 0.91 per cent in 1997-98.

The capital adequacy ratio of the bank stood at 10.65 per cent as on March 1999.

The net-owned funds improved from Rs 389.30 crore to Rs 496.09 crore during 1998-99.

The bank will open 30 new branches during the current fiscal of which 20 will be in Andhra Pradesh, a Hyderabad Bank release said.