Amid chaos prevailing over the country after the demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, banking fraternity deserves applause for commendable work done by them since last few days. Hats off to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for thanking all banks employees for going that extra mile to ensure the implementation of the demonetization scheme on fast track basis. Bankers have been working from morning to till late hours since last few days in the interest of customers for exchange of high denominations currencies, collection of deposits and other regular banking transactions.
Bank officials have been called upon to undertake this gigantic task at short notice and they have risen to the occasion without complaining. They have aided senior citizens and worked even during the weekend.
When I inquired with people about the ongoing demonetization drive they appreciated the work done by bank employees because of whom currency exchange work had passed off smoothly. The policemen who were posted outside many branches performed an excellent job of managing the crowds. In some branches, shamianas have been put up to guard people against the sun. Some people were offering drinking water, buttermilk, biscuits and toffees to customers!
Our PM has rightly thanked all the bank employees and said, “The amount of work which bank employees normally have to put in over a year, they have worked more than that in the last one week alone”. Bankers face the people’s wrath for not providing smaller denomination notes due to its shortage. There is no fixed work hours for bank officers as their work stretches from 9 to 10 hours daily. It has been observed that the moment bank counters are open people rush in like a herd of bulls. They push each other to move ahead and shout at bank employees for not letting them in immediately. If bankers do not follow an organized system, the entire branch may fall into chaos.
The public sector bank employees do seem to have risen to the occasion and by and large have been doing a really commendable job under difficult circumstances. There is no doubt that bankers have always performed the task given by the Government right from the time of nationalization. They have always in the past stood like a rock and supported the government’s policies and have successfully implemented every scheme.
Bank employees, logistics and support staff are doing their best, putting in a lot of effort and working tirelessly to bring back normalcy as quick as possible. Banks are the backbone of the national economy. They worked efficiently to minimize the stress of anguished people during the demonetization drive. Bank officials are always ready to face any critical issue in the interest of nation, right from their placement, away from home/children etc.
Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
