The audacious Maoist loot from a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in West Midnapore on Tuesday has put services of 400-odd branches of the bank along the red corridor in jeopardy. The All-India State Bank of India Officers? Federation has written to SBI chairman O P Bhatt raising concerns about security of officers working in Maoist-infested states.
Barring SBI, the three Kolkata-based public sector banks, Uco Bank, Allahabad Bank and United Bank of India, have almost 1,500 branches in Maoist areas of West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.
United Bank of India?s chairman and managing director S C Gupta, who is also the chairman of the State Level Bankers? Committee, said, ?There might be a security concern among the staff temporarily. But things will return to normalcy soon.?
But Shakti Haldar, senior VP of SBI?s officers? federation said, ?Since staffs are not willing to attend branches in Maoist areas, the financial inclusion programme of the Reserve Bank of India may get affected.? On Tuesday, Maoists looted Rs 9 lakh from an SBI branch at Sankrail.
In the last few months, Bengal districts bordering Orissa and Bihar have seen a rise in looting and kidnap incidents. For instance, on October 7, Maoists tried to abduct and loot an SBI branch at Baghmari. Last month, Maoists looted Rs 10 lakh from a branch in West Midnapore. Areas like Ramgarh and Mukutmanipur in Bankura district, regions adjoining Bandoan in Purulia district and several areas in West Midnapore are vulnerable, admit bank officials. While 28 of the more than 50 branches in West Midnapore are under threat, 8-10 branches each in Purulia and Bankura district are also vulnerable.
In Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, almost 100 branches of SBI have security threats; while 50 SBI branches each in Orissa and Jharkhand are vulnerable.
According to Gupta, the situation will not affect the financial inclusion process. ?We have sent security officials to the affected areas to see what more can be done to ensure safety of the staff and customers.? United Bank of India has almost 850 branches in these states.
But J P Dua, executive director, Allahabad Bank, said, ?There will be some effect. We have to increase security measures in those areas and keep morale of our staff high.?