Dimapur, May 14 (EMN): A village development board association stating to represent Aboi in Mon district has appealed to the State Bank of India (SBI) to ‘deploy’ a permanent branch manager and adequate number of staff for the Aboi branch within the month of May.
The association issued to the media a copy of a letter addressed to the SBI’s regional business office at Mokokchung.
‘You are also well aware that there are three rural development blocks under Aboi sub-division- namely Aboi, Chen and Angjangyang blocks. As per the guidelines of the government, under MGNREGA the beneficiaries are supposed to open individual savings bank accounts with any nationalized banks because DBT (direct benefit transfer) has been introduced by the government,’ the press release added.
However, the MGNREGA beneficiaries of Aboi sub-division are facing “untold hardship” and inconveniences due to the absence of a full time or permanent branch manager for the past three months, the letter stated. Further there is no full-time accountant ever since the inception of the bank, besides the problem of “shortage of staff” adding to the customers’ woes, the representation stated.
The association stated that new accounts of approximately 350 persons from Angjangyang have been held up.
“More than 800 beneficiaries from Aboi block are waiting for opening of new accounts. Till 30/04/2019 only 37 persons could open their bank accounts through CSP (customer service point) out of 577 applicants from Aboi block.”
If the bank continue to run the way it is doing now, ‘it will become more of a hindrance than a blessing for the populace of the sub-division,’ the association lamented.
The association has urged the SBI to appoint a full-time branch manager and adequate number of staff for the SBI branch at Aboi within May to enable the MGNREGA beneficiaries to open bank accounts and receive their passbooks in time.
If the SBI fails to do so, the association added, the SBI’s regional business office “will be held responsible if the funds lapse.”
