Tough to execute Centre’s instructions, say Public Sector Banks

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Public sector banks including the State Bank of India (SBI) have found it tough to execute Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent instructions including reconciliation of 2.5 lakh mismatched accounts of tea garden workers by March 15.

Exhorting the banks to be a lot more agile, Sitharaman during her last week’s visit to Guwahati had directed the banks that all accounts of the tea garden workers should be made DBT (direct benefit transfer) compatible. Further banks have been directed to ensure that all accounts of the tea garden workers must continue seamlessly. Banks have been asked to become flexible in reconciling 2.5 lakh non-operative accounts of tea workers.

“It will be very tough to operationalize 2.5 lakh accounts within such short time. Apart from non-availability of valid identity documents, many tea workers are not interested to have ‘active’ bank accounts. These workers believe in receiving cash whether it is their wages and monetary benefits from the government. They fear that if cash is deposited in bank accounts they will face many hassles to withdraw the same. It is very tough to convince the tea workers,” a senior bank official who have the experience of working in garden areas, said.

On making banking service more accessible for tea garden workers, Sitharaman said that the Assam Government will submit a mapping of where they want the ATMs in 17 districts which have a sizeable number of tea workers. “The government’s list of ATMs will be given to banks and the latter will set up the same within the next one month,” she said.

The bank official said the banks have no problem in setting up ATMs but connectivity is a major issue. “Until and unless connectivity is improved in remote and rural areas, setting up ATMs there will be wastage money. Many ATMs in such areas including tea garden are lying idle now due to connectivity issue,” the official said.

“Majority of the public sector banks have been successful in implementing the mandate of Reserve Bank of India of setting up branches in proportionate with population break up in Assam and other parts of NE,” the official said.

Chairman of State Bank of India (SBI) Rajnish Kumar recently said the banking service in reaching each and every customer in the North East is at par with the national average even as connectivity still remains an issue in the region.

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