Most banks in Lakhimpur reluctant to open accounts for students

Most of the banks across Lakhimpur, including the public and private sector, have refused to open accounts for students of the district.
Representative Image

Representative Image

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Most of the banks across Lakhimpur, including the public and private sector, have refused to open accounts for students of the district. Notably, Mission Director of Samagraa Siksha, Assam, B. Kalyan Chakravarthy, through an official letter vide No. SSA/CP & SFG/Students Bank A/C/305/2020/2476 dated September 14, directed the Inspectors of Schools and also the District Elementary Education Officers to take necessary action to ensure opening of bank accounts for the students of Class I to Class X by following all COVID-safety protocols. In the same order, Chakravarthy also said that several meetings had been held at Samagra Shiksha office, Kahilipara. The order added that bank accounts would be opened for students of all categories of schools, including students of Special Training Centres, residential schools, KGVBs, model schools and it would be a massive exercise and the entire process would be completed by November 30. Most of the public sector banks in Lakhimpur district have not been cooperating with the parents of the students, blaming them for their inability to produce the necessary documents required for opening the accounts. However, it is known that a few parents, who could produce Aadhaar card, could get the bank account opened for their wards.

On the other hand, a section of CSP (Customer Service Point) in Dhakuakhana subdivision of the district has taken advantage of the situation at the negligence on the part of the public sector banks regarding opening of the accounts. It is alleged that the agent of a CSP of the subdivision, located at Medhisuti under Punjub National Bank, illegally collected cash of Rs. 300 from each of the students for opening their bank accounts. Filling up the forms, the agent allegedly collected the cash and the necessary documents for opening the bank accounts from the students visiting the schools under the locality. Thus, the agent collected more than Rs. 75,000 from the students of No. 13 Bantow LP School, Gohainbari MV School and Ghahigaon LP School which he did not inform to the Branch Manager or any official of the bank concerned. In this regard, the Branch Manager of the bank expressed his ignorance about the illegal development when it was informed to him by the journalist members of the Dhakuakhana Press Guild. However, the Branch Manager gave word to initiate disciplinary action against the CSP agent. Similarly, the CSP agent of Tekeliphuta has also allegedly committed irregularities regarding bank related transaction.

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