Clarification from State Bank of India

GUWAHATI: This is in reference to an article in The Sentinel daily issue of 4th March 2020 in regard to honourable Union Finance Minister’s recent direction to all banks to make accounts of tea garden workers DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) compatible and to ensure that all the bank accounts of tea garden workers continue seamlessly. It was quoted that it will be very tough to operationalize 2.5 lakh accounts within such a short time and that many tea workers are not interested to have bank accounts.

State Bank of India, as convener of State-Level Bankers Committee in Assam, clarifies that SBI and all other member banks of SLBC are committed to ensure that the Government's direction in this regard would be fulfilled within the time-frame prescribed by the Union Finance Minister. Banks are putting up all-out efforts to make available banking services to all the tea garden workers in the State to ensure that Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme of the Government is made available to all the tea garden workers. To this end, Banks are activating more Banking Kiosk under BC channels. Meetings with all member banks of SLBC are also held to gear up the process. The State Government is also providing necessary support in this regard. SBI said this is a press release.

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