EASE (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence) reform index

Context: Government’s EASE (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence) reform index has been released.

 Key facts:

• EASE index is prepared by the Indian Banking Association (IBA) and Boston Consulting Group.
• It is commissioned by the Finance Ministry.
• It is a framework that was adopted last year to strengthen public sector banks, and rank them on metricssuch as responsible banking, financial inclusion, credit offtake and digitisation.

Findings of the report:

1. Punjab National Bank has topped the list. It is followed by Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India (SBI), and Oriental Bank of Commerce.
2. The EASE Index report also noted PSU banks’ strengthening of the bad-loan recovery process, pointing to the success of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) in fast-tracking the resolution process.

Sources: toi.