Banks exhort customers to go digital

SBI to limit staff attendance at main offices in the State to 50%

March 21, 2020 12:19 am | Updated 12:20 am IST - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Employees at work donning masks at the Vazhuthacaud branch of the Union Bank of India 
on Friday.

Employees at work donning masks at the Vazhuthacaud branch of the Union Bank of India on Friday.

Banks are urging customers to use digital banking facilities and keep branch visits to a minimum given the possibility of COVID-19 spread and the threat to their staff.

Banks in the State capital have boards on display advising customers to go digital and carry out further transactions from the safety of their homes. While staff have been issued hand sanitisers and face masks in view of the pandemic, banks feel the need to further reduce the risk.

Many banks had reported higher footfall and a spurt in cash withdrawals in recent days, partly caused by the rush to stock up on food. Prominent banks have already taken to Twitter and Facebook, requesting customers to respect social distancing guidelines and use online banking services until the threat subsides.

As part of the precautions, the State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to limit staff attendance at its Local Head Office at Poojappura, the six administrative offices and 29 regional business offices across the State to not more than 50% on working days.

The bank’s corporate head office has issued instructions in this regard, a senior SBI official said. Instructions regarding the bank’s branches are expected soon, the official said.

Earlier this month, the SBI branch at Thottamon, Ranni, had temporarily downed shutters following reports that a COVID-19 patient had visited it. The branch is now open, SBI officials said.

SLBC directive

In a March 16 advisory, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had asked banks to encourage customers to use digital options as far as possible. On its part, the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC), Kerala, has echoed the advice. The SLBC has also urged banks to adopt in-house measures to protect their staff from getting infected, N. Ajit Krishnan, convener, SLBC, Kerala, and General Manager, Canara Bank, said.

Skeleton staff

“We have asked banks to have only skeleton staff for the time being. We request customers, especially elderly citizens, to avoid visits to banks unless they are unavoidable. The important thing is to keep the banks up and functioning. Today, a customer need not visit a bank for basic transactions. ATMs, passbook printing machines and cash-deposit machines are available everywhere,” Mr. Ajit Krishnan said.

As part of in-house precautions, banks in the State have issued face masks and sanitisers to the staff. On-site ATMs and most of the off-site ones that have security guards also are equipped with sanitisers. However, with sanitisers in short supply, some banks have also opted for buckets of water and soap.

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