Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Grameena Bank K. Pramod Kumar Reddy in Guntur.
| Photo Credit: T VIJAY KUMAR
The recently amalgamated Andhra Pradesh Grameena Bank (APGB) headquartered in Guntur city, which emerged as second largest after State Bank of India (SBI) in terms of number of branches in the State by retaining the entire network of 1351 branches from all four erstwhile banks, has aimed to become the first one in the State by increasing the number to more than 1700 in next five years.
The four Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) including Andhra Pragathi Grameena Bank (APGB), Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank (APGVB), Saptagiri Grameena Bank (SGB), and Chaitanya Godavari Grameena Bank (CGGB), were amalgamated to form a single new entity — Andhra Pradesh Grameena Bank — with effect from 1st May 2025, as per the notification issued by the Government of India.
APGB had business of about ₹1.28 lakh crore, and aims to develop it to more than ₹ 2 lakh crore in next five years, Chairman of the bank K. Pramod Kumar Reddy said.
Mr. Pramod Kumar told The Hindu at his office in Guntur that the debt-to-credit ratio of the APGB is very impressive and competitive when compared with any other bank in the State. Explaining that the APGB’s debts and credits are almost equal, and hence they could perform much better soon in lendings to the farmers, MSMEs, self-help groups, and others.
Stating that the APGB gives highest priority to the priority sectors and schemes of the Central and State governments, he said that the loans would be disbursed to the people who opt the schemes and programmes of the governments in industrial and agriculture sectors.
The Chairman said that the bank will ensure every individual will have a bank account in the State, adding that it has a customer base of more than 1.2 crore.
He said that the bank will give loans to individuals, farmers, women SHGS, MSMES. He also added that the bank also provides housing loans for farmers in rural and semi-urban areas, where the other commercial banks will not offer the service based on agriculture lands and income.
Working towards the goal of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu in making at least one lakh entrepreneurs within a year in the State, Mr. Pramod Kumar said that the APGB would provide MSME loans to either individuals or to the entire members of SHGs. He said that the State government has designed a programme for One Family One Entrepreneur (OFOE), the bank will participate in it and all other subsidies driven programmes.
Published – November 06, 2025 04:30 pm IST
