Warty, also a member of the bank's committee on introduction of ATMs, told The Financial Express that a company of international repute has been selected for providing the technology. Declining to name the company, he said it has promised the lowest down time.

Warty said the bank's newly appointed technology consultant - KPMG - is looking into the technology for the interconnectivity of the ATMs.

"For a huge bank like SBI with branches spreading all over a big country like India, it is very difficult to provide connectivity to its ATMs," Warty said. According to him, the existing technology providers in the world have no experience in running ATMs in such a vast area. So, SBI has very carefully selected a firm for the job, he asserted.

He said SBI has decided to extend the facility of ATMs to its credit card holders as well.

The chief general manager said the bank is planning to set up 20 more ATMs in Orissa this year. SBI, which first brought the ATM concept to Orissa, has so far installed 10 ATMs at Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Baragarh and Angul.

Stating that technological upgradation is fast progressing in the Orissa circle, Warty said 100 of a total 474 branches in the state have beenfully computerised. With this, 55.85 per cent of the total business of the circle is now being handled by these computerised branches. The bank plans to add 30 more branches to the list this year.

"Arrangements are on hand to provide remote login facility to a few customers of the Bhubaneswar commercial branch," he said.