J&K regional rural banks plagued by dearth of manpower

Srinagar : J&K’s two regional rural banks are facing acute dearth of manpower leaving severe impact on their financial health.

Documents accessed show that J & K Grameen Bank and Ellaquai Dehati Bank are facing shortage of staff due to a host of reasons.

“Ellaquai Dehati Bank and J&K Grameen Bank, the two regional rural banks operating in J&K and sponsored by State Bank of India and J&K Bank respectively, in a separate communications to J&K UTLBC have submitted that regional rural banks in J&K are facing acute staff shortage in Kashmir region over the years due to superannuation of officials, resignation of officials and reluctance of officials to serve the bank in Kashmir region, which has concomitantly led to an increasing attrition rate which has reached to an alarming level as on date thereby leaving a severe impact on business and financial health of these institutions,” reads documents.

These financial institutions approached the Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory Level Bankers Committee to address the issue of staff paucity in their banks and requested for granting them one-time relaxation to undertake local recruitment drive for Kashmir region.

In its meeting held on March 02, 2023, the UTLBC directed them to approach the Government directly over addressing these issues. “The request of J&K Grameen Bank and Ellaquai Dehati Bank to address the issue of staff paucity in their banks and grant of one- time permission for local recruitment drive for Kashmir region was not taken up for discussion by the house,” reads minutes of the meeting held on March 02, 2023.

“The house was of the opinion that UTLBC is not the appropriate forum to discuss these issues and both the rural banks were directed to take up the matter with the Government directly,” the record note further states—(KNO)