State Bank of India opened 27 all-women branches in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

The decision was taken after the appointment of the bank’s first woman chief Arundhati Bhattacharya, on her maiden visit to Chandigarh Local Head Office.

The Chandigarh Local Head Office is the controlling office of SBI branches in the four northern states of Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, apart from Union Territory Chandigarh.

The all-women branch initiative for SBI comes in less than a month’s time of the inuaguration of first bank for women — Bharatiya Mahila Bank — in November.

India’s largest bank has initiated steps to ensure that at least one all-women branch is there for each district in the circle starting with the Chandigarh Circle.

Bhattacharya, Chairman, State Bank Group, addressed the staff and gave her roadmap for activities to be pursued to take State Bank of India to greater heights and set new benchmarks to be achieved during her chairmanship.

Beena.parmar@thehindu.co.in