EASE 5.0 Reforms Agenda

On June 8, 2022, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the EASE 5.0 “Common reforms agenda” of EASE Next program.

Key Points

• Enhanced Access and Service Excellence-EASE evolved for four annual editions from Financial Year 2019 to Financial Year 2022.
• It has also catalysed reforms in diverse areas in Public Sector Banks.

Why has this agenda developed?

EASE 5.0 ‘Common reforms agenda’ has been developed for Public Sector Banks.

EASENext

PSB Manthan, 2022 was organised in April 2022. This program paved the way for broader program “EASENext”. The EASENest will comprise of two initiatives:

1. EASE 5.0 (common PSB reforms agenda) and
2. Bank specific strategic 3-year roadmap (on the basis of individual bank’s business priorities).

Agenda of EASE 5.0

• Under EASE 5.0, PSBs will be investing in new-age capabilities. It will also deepen the ongoing reforms for responding to evolving customer needs, technology environment and changing competition.
• It will focus on digital customer experience, as well as integrated & inclusive banking. It will also emphasise on supporting agriculture and small businesses.
• All PSBs will create a bank-specific 3-year strategic roadmap, which will entail strategic initiatives beyond EASE 5.0.
• The initiatives will implemented be across diverse themes namely, business growth, risk, profitability, operation, customer service, and capability building.

About EASE Agenda

EASE Agenda was launched by government in collaboration with PSBs in January 2018. It was authored by Boston consulting Group and commissioned through Indian Banks’ Association. EASE Reforms Agenda have understated stages:

• EASE 1.0: This report showed significant improvement in performance of PSB, in resolving Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in a transparent manner.
• EASE 2.0: It introduced new reform Action Points across six themes, for strengthening processes & systems, making reforms journey irreversible, and driving outcomes.
• Ease 3.0: It was launched for enhancing ease of banking in all customer experiences, through technology viz. PSBloansin59 minutes.com and Dial-a-loan etc.
• Ease 4.0: It commits PSBs to tech-enabled, collaborative and simplified banking to strengthen the agenda of customer-centric digital transformation.

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2022

Category: Economy & Banking Current Affairs