Mumbai: SBI Cards (www.sbicard.com), India's fastest-growing credit card, has announced the launch of India's first city affinity card: SBI Mumbai Card.

Loaded with the best of local and global features, SBI Mumbai Card is an exclusive initiative for the citizens of Mumbai. SBI Cards is the fastest growing credit card with over 950,000 cards issued to date.

Says SBI Cards and Payment Services Ltd CEO Iqbal Singh: ''Mumbai is a city with passion and energy - it's about people, it's about lifestyles, and it's about a rare spirit of enthusiasm and zest for life. Above all they love the experience of Mumbai from the corner shop to the newest pub or restaurant. It is this unique character that SBI Mumbai Card captures through a host of unmatched features, as well as exclusive offers. SBI Mumbai Card is one more initiative in a series of pioneering, innovative products and services introduced by SBI Cards in the Indian payment card industry.''

The SBI Mumbai Card captures the spirit of Mumbai with a striking visual of the Queen's Necklace on Marine Drive, one of the city's most prominent landmarks. Designed to appeal to a broad-based target audience in the 25-plus age group ranging from young professionals to middle- and upper middle-class segments as well as travelers, SBI Mumbai Card features a range of exciting global and city-specific benefits.

Besides special discounts ranging from 10 to 30 per cent across different categories of merchants in Mumbai, including restaurants, garments, automobiles, music, books, electronics, jewellery and health centers, SBI Mumbai Card cardholders can avail of exclusive travel and holiday offers around India along with special offers on air travel. Cardholders will also have exclusive access to events, movie shows and other promotions in Mumbai. So, be it dining at Pali Hill or eating at Beverly Hills, SBI Mumbai Card promises to make your life simple wherever you go.

SBI Mumbai Card will be loaded with the Triple Advantage Rewards Programme; hereby customers can redeem their points for fees or get discounts on leading brands or get attractive gifts. These offers are over and above the regular global benefits offered on an SBI International Credit Card such as:

• Cash access at over 8,00,000 Visa/Plus ATMs globally

• Free insurance protection including personal accident insurance cover

• Tele-draft facility

• Lost baggage protection when traveling in India or overseas

• Lost card protection

• 24-hour SBI Card customer helpline in India and Visa emergency services in 73 countries

• Free membership for an international calling card

• Purchase protection facility

• Balance transfer facility

• e-statements

• Account access on the web - 24x7 access to card account details, unbilled transactions, online statements and payment history.

SBI Mumbai Card is available at a joining fee of Rs 250 and an annual fee of Rs 750. To be eligible to acquire the card, salaried people will have to show an annual income of Rs 75,000 while for self-employed individuals the eligibility level is an annual income of Rs 60,000.

To apply for SBI Mumbai Card, forms are conveniently available at SBI's extensive branch network as well as at any of the participating outlets. Customers can also call the 24-hour SBI Card customer helpline to avail of forms or download the same from www.sbicard.com.

SBI Cards adopts a long-term strategy to set industry benchmarks in customer service, supported with the use of state-of-the-art technology and the widest customer support and distribution network in the country. Its goal to expand the market for credit cards has been built on:

• Speed: Unique 14-day average turnaround time

• Simplicity: Simple application process with minimum documentation

• Service: 24/7-access to SBI Card helpline via a local call.

SBI Cards is a joint venture between State Bank of India (SBI) and GE Capital to offer Indian consumers extensive access to a wide range of world-class, value-added payment products and services. The partnership leverages the competitive advantages of SBI's brand equity, customer relationship and incomparable market presence with GE Capital's global expertise and experience in technology and processes, Six Sigma approach to quality, world-class customer service, retail marketing, product development and risk and credit management.

The partners have set up two joint venture companies to develop SBI's payment card business in India - SBI Cards and Payment Services Ltd - which focuses on the marketing and distribution of SBI Cards and GE Capital Business Processes Management Services Ltd, which handles the technology and processing needs of SBI Cards.

SBI Cards is the largest issuer of Visa cards in India. In the short span of 38 months since its launch, SBI Cards has issued over 900,000 cards in 41 cities and towns across India.