Cutting across party lines, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat members alleged on Tuesday that bank officials in the district lived in ivory towers and harassed customers unnecessarily.
Speaking at a monthly meeting of the panchayat council, they alleged that many bank officials, especially in the rural branches, were least bothered to explain about the government schemes to the beneficiaries or intended beneficiaries.
They said that many officials in the branches were from outside the State who did not know Kannada. They did not pass on information on government schemes to customers. Unless the bank officials learnt Kannada, how would they be able to communicate with customers, they asked.
Referring to the manager of a nationalised bank Vinod Kumar, a member said that he had to approach Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel after the manager insisted on some documents to be produced by a loan applicant under a government scheme. Those documents were actually not required. Even after the MP’s intervention the applicant has not been given ₹ 30,000 loan of which ₹ 10,000 was government subsidy. Should banks harass so much for such loan? How can youth emerge as entrepreneurs in such circumstances, he lamented.
They alleged that it was due to the attitude of some bank officials that the government schemes were not reaching the deserved and those who did not have a voice like the educated ones in the cities.
A former president of the panchayat and senior member Mamata Gatty said that some banks harassed students while granting education loans and denied them loan on many occasions.
Intervening, Ivan D’Souza, MLC, said that even police stations have now become people-friendly but not banks. Police personnel respected visitors and complainants. Bank officials should change their mindset and attitude.
Tungappa Bangera, a senior member, demanded that the president of the panchayat call for an emergency meeting of bank officials. Otherwise, implementing government schemes would suffer.
The MLC asked the lead district manager representing SyndicateBank to convey the feelings of the members at a meeting of bankers.
At one point, president of the panchayat Meenakshi Shantigodu said that the panchayat should pass a resolution on the matter. But none insisted on it.
