Due to alleged lackadaisical attitude of the State Bank of India, Hailakandi branch, the district administration of Hailakandi has been compelled to stop all its dealings with the branch with immediate effect.
In an order issued by the Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner, Adil Khan, on Saturday, the district administration has decided to withdraw all the bank accounts of its establishment and discontinue maintaining funds in the bank.
Khan, who is also the Chairman of the District Level Bankers’ Committee, also advised the district heads of different departments to discontinue their financial transactions with the bank and to opt for other banks that have emerged with good credentials of being good service providers and performers in implementation of Government welfare-oriented schemes.
Khan rued that the Chief Manager and the Branch Managers of the SBI have not only been “indifferent” towards the customers but also did not care a hoot to take part in the crucial aspirational district meetings chaired by Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Prabhari Officer, Sameer Kumar Khare, where key financial inclusion related matters were discussed. Even the bank officials drew attention by their absence in the District Development Committee meetings.
Khan lamented that SBI, Hailakandi though being the biggest branch in the district, has miserably failed in implementation of Government-sponsored schemes and has even created unnecessary hurdles in the way of transfer of loans to beneficiaries under CMSGUY and Krishi Kalyan Abhiyan.
“In all respects, the functioning and dealings of SBI, Hailakandi in implementation of government sponsored schemes, including services to customers are quite dissatisfactory,” stated Khan in the order.
Khan also pointed out that SBI, Hailakandi branch has failed always to maintain the minimum CD ratio and in social sector and priority lending schemes, too, it has fared miserably.
The Deputy Commissioner has brought the sorry state of affairs to the notice of the State Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Finance Department and Chief General Manager, SBI, Guwahati.