It would thus be seen that there are sufficient enabling statutory provisions in the existing statutes governing the public sector banks to encourage and promote consolidation even within the public sector banks through the merger and amalgamation route, and the procedure to be followed for the purpose has also been statutorily prescribed. Consolidation and its impact on the branch network 14.
*  *  *  Ladies and gentlemen, •  On behalf of the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, I would like to welcome you to today’s seminar on the IMF’s new „Regional Economic Issues Report“, the REI.