• Branch network expansion: Under "Project 321", the bank is opening 321 scientifically selected branches over 18 months as part of a 1,000-branch five-year plan, shifting Maharashtra's branch concentration from 58% in 2019 down to 42%.
• Deposit optimization: The bank curtailed high-cost DRI bulk deposits from 13.08% to 5.08% and leveraged infra bonds and refinance, driving down cost of deposits by 40 bps in Q3 and 18 bps in Q4.
• Margin guidance: Management maintains a conservative net interest margin (NIM) guidance of 3.75% amid deposit competition, after delivering an overall NIM of 3.91% for the full year and closing Q4 at 3.95%.
• Agri loan rebalancing: To guard against weather risks and stress, the bank is shifting its agri portfolio toward collateral-backed investment credit of up to ₹100 crore for warehouses and cold storage, supported by a 98.59% provision coverage ratio and automated digital underwriting for small-ticket loans.