Transactions worth Rs 1200 crore affected in Jamshedpur on day 2 of bank strike

Employees take out protest rally from Postal Park                                                        

Jamshedpur, Dec. 17: As the protest against the Centre’s move to privatise government-owned banks entered the second day, services have been hit across Kolhan and Jamshedpur as employees of 1300 bank branches of 12 public sector banks including State Bank of India, Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Central Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, Union Bank, Indian Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Indian Overseas Bank, UCO Bank and Punjab and Sind Bank continue their protest.

Shutters of branches across Kolhan and Jamshedpur on Friday were down following the strike call given by the United Forum of Bank Union (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine bank unions including All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW).

Business worth Rs 1200 crore was affected in Kolhan on day 2 of the bank strike.

Sources said banking transactions worth over Rs 1,200 crore could not take place owing to the strike.

Customers of these public sector banks (PSBs) faced difficulties as services like cash withdrawals, cheque clearances, loan approvals, RTGS and NEFT were hit due to bank branches not being operational while deposit and withdrawal in banks also came to a complete halt.

Bank strike also affected the ATMs operating in the city. Around 800 ATMs of all banks are operating in Kolhan which were affected by the nationwide strike.

On the second day of the strike, United Forum of Bank Unions took out huge rally from Bistupur Postal Park which saw participation of all bank union members and employees. The rally traversed through Bistupur main road, Voltas House, Kamani Center, Bank of Baroda, Natraj Hotel before culminating at State Bank of India Main Branch in Bistupur where bank employees shouted slogans against the central government and finance ministry.

Later, addressing the gathering, Rintu Rajak, District Convener of United Forum of Bank Unions said that privatization is not in the interest of common man. In 1948, the banking service of the country was in the hands of the capitalists. Later, the central government nationalized all the banks so that the money of the common man remains safe. But the Modi government wants to restore the same old system so that the common people take loans from banks and remain in debt burden for life. He further said that only MP Varun Gandhi is exposing the central government.