Bank employees wait for implementation of a clutch of relaxations, mooted in the wake of a surge in COVID-19 cases, continued on Friday with Telangana government presumably taking time to study implications of such measures.
The matter is before the Chief Secretary, sources among bankers said, expecting the State government decision to be known soon. A decision on April 24, which is a holiday on account of 4th Saturday, would help banks plan accordingly from Monday, a source added.
A reduction in the business hours and operating the medium and large sized branches with 50% of the employees on any given day were the key measures the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) had deliberated at its special meeting and conveyed the same to the State government.
The meeting followed representation from the United Forum of Bank Unions, an umbrella body of bank employees and officers unions, as well as guidelines issued by Indian Banks’ Association in view of a sharp increase in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19. Making the case of Telangana bank employees stronger are almost similar resolutions passed by SLBC in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
A leader of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) said bank employees remain hopeful of the State government taking a favourable view. Implementing measures mooted by IBA and discussed by SLBC have become imperative and would be in the interest of bank staffers as well the customers.
State Bank of India, Hyderabad Circle, Chief General Manager Om Prakash Mishra had also recently urged customers to opt for digital banking and visit branches only if unavoidable. He said this voicing concern at the number of frontline staff of SBI affected by COVID-19. According to sources, the number of SBI staff who had been infected has crossed 625, while it would be much more for all the banks and facilities across Telangana.
While recommending changes, including keeping banks open for customers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and closing of branches by 4 p.m., the SLBC and IBA emphasised on measures to ensure that all alternate (banking) delivery channels remain operative. They had also listed various facilities and services of the banks, including currency chests, ATM cash loading vendors, offices in data centre, data recovery centres, ATM back offices, security operation centres for cyber security and clearing houses that will function as per normal routine.
