The All India Regional Rural Bank Officers’ Federation (AIRRBOF) and All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC) have opposed the government’s move for the cross merger of RRBs sponsored by the different banks.
At the 9th Triennial General Council of the AIRRBOF, which concluded here recently, a resolution was passed opposing the government’s move.
The officers’ federation said that the move would lead to HR conflicts and wastage of investment in core banking solutions (CBS) in RRBs by the sponsor banks.
The organisation charged that in the name of restructuring of the RRBs, the Centre was planning to reduce their number from 82 to 46, and with the intention of a crossmerger of the RRBs.
The conference observed that it preferred to merge with the sponsor banks for better viability of RRBs, which are rendering yeomen service to the rural economy and promoting financial inclusion.
The conference also urged the Union government to extend pension scheme prevailing in public sector banks to the RRBs too.
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“We have already written to the Centre in this regard. In case our demands are not considered, the AIRRBOF is planning to hold protest action, including strike to achieve the demand for pension,” said general secretary S K Bhattacharjee.
The council also discussed several other HR issues and, ways and means to strengthen the RRBs to shoulder higher responsibilities in taking the banks to the doorstep of the common man.
Inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations and the 9th Triennial General Council of the AIRRBOF, former managing director of Nabard KG Karmakar said the RRBs were playing a major role in the development of rural people and the banks needed proper encouragement.
Stating that food security and farmers’ suicides were the two issues the government needs to look at seriously as both were haunting the Indian economy.