District Collector Md. A. Imtiaz on Friday responded favourably to a plea by bankers who sought permission to run business with skeleton staff during the lockdown period.
At a meeting attended by lead district Manager Rammohan Rao and District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) Project Director Srinivasulu and representatives of various banks, at the Collector’s camp office, the bankers explained to Mr. Imtiaz the problems faced by their employees in reaching the workplace due to restrictions as part of the lockdown. They said staff from Jaggayyapet, Nuzvid and Muppala were finding it very difficult to attend duties because of the tight vigil by the police in their respective areas that had COVID-19 positive cases.
They said the first instalment of ₹ 500 had been deposited in the Jan Dhan accounts of the women beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. The banks would have to work at least to disburse this amount to the beneficiaries, they said.
Emergency phone number
The Collector promised the bankers that he would speak to the City Police Commissioner Dwaraka Tirumala Rao and Superintendent of Police Ravindranath Babu for permission. He said he would share a phone number which the bankers could use at time of necessity during the lockdown period.
They also wanted the Collector to extend time till 12 noon for refilling cash in ATMs from the present 9 am.