Pathum Udanaya, HNB’s deposit draw for Sri Lankans earning abroad, as well as, locals saving in foreign currency, is back again, this year giving away 7.5kg of gold in two mega draws. Pathum Udanaya is exclusively for HNB customers saving in NRFC/RFC Savings Accounts, NRFC/RFC Fixed Deposits and the Singithi Surakum Minor Foreign Currency Savings Account. The 2009 Pathum Udanaya Draw is scheduled to be held at the end of the year.

The Year-end Golden Draw is exclusively for customers with a minimum savings of US$ 10,000 in NRFC/Singithi Surakum Savings Accounts and Fixed Deposits or US$ 15,000 in RFC Savings & Fixed Deposit. The Year end Golden draw offers 2kg of gold as first prize, 1kg of gold as second prize, ten prizes of 10 one sovereign gold coins each and 125 consolation prizes of one sovereign gold coins.

Customers with minimum savings balance of US$500 in NRFC/ Singithi Surakum Savings Accounts, US$ 1,000 in RFC Savings Accounts & US$ 2,500 in NRFC/ Singithi Surakum and RFC fixed deposits. will be eligible for the Year-end Draw that includes 50 one sovereign gold coins as first Prize, 20 prizes of five one sovereign gold coins each and 400 consolation prizes of ½ sovereign gold coins.

Having become immensely popular and highly successful since its first launch in 1999, HNB’s Pathum Udanaya has gifted each year with something different, setting the trend for the industry and inducing the savings habit among thousands of expatriate Sri Lankans.

The scheme chiefly targets those living in the Middle-East and European countries.

"Pathum Udanaya was first introduced with the objective of encouraging Sri Lankans working overseas to save their hard-earned money with a trusted bank back home. Today the draw is not just an exciting inducement to save but so much more," says Kalum Wijesooriya, Chief Manager - Remittances of Hatton National Bank. "The bank prides itself in offering bigger and better prizes each year and this year too we’ve gone the extra mile in giving our customers more than the expected. All prizes will be awarded in gold. By encouraging people to save through minimum savings criteria, we believe, we are helping people to save for long-term growth," he added.

In order to be eligible to the draws accountholders need to maintain the required minimum balances for a one calendar month immediately prior to the respective draws. Savers are entitled to multiple winning chances at both draws. The number of chances will depend on the multiple of the minimum balances and the number of calendar months during which they are maintained.