The finance ministry has asked state governments to vaccinate bank and insurance employees on priority basis as they run high risks during the period of Covid-19 pandemic.
Department of Financial Services Secretary Debasish Panda, in a letter addressed to chief secretaries of states and union territories, said states should consider putting in place a special dispensation for vaccination of staff of banks, insurance companies, business correspondents, payment systems and other financial services providers on priority. “This would go a long way in boosting their morale and enhancing their enthusiasm for seamless provision of financial services,” he said.
He also mentioned that many of these employees have succumbed to Covid-19.
Indianbankingnews.com had earlier reported that in the Covid-19 cave, more than 1,300 bank employees have lost their lives and there seems to be no end in sight to the spike.
Panda has also praised the role these workers have played in ensuring delivery of banking and financial services. "Kudos to our Bankers, Insurers, Payment Service Providers, Bank Mitras for ensuring uninterrupted delivery of banking and financial services to people in need during these challenging times," he has tweeted.
Panda has urged the state governments and union territories to extend their support to these financial army of workers. "All state/UT governments are requested to instruct local authorities to provide them necessary help and support in ensuring delivery of banking and financial services. Vaccinating them on priority will mitigate their high exposure to risk in delivery of public service," he said.
In addition to the vaccination request, Panda raised the issues of some instances of manhandling by state law enforcement authorities during local lockdowns. "Likewise, offices of banks and branches have occasionally been ordered to shut down by state law enforcement authorities even during permitted banking hours, accompanied by threats. While bank employees are already braving risks to their health and need to be assured about their safety, these incidents end up demoralising them and their families, which leads to disruption in services," the letter stated.
“This becomes impediment to account holders’ access to funds in their hours of needs, disbursement of DBT payments, extension of credit to mitigate disruption to business, etc which should otherwise be uninterrupted and seamless,” it further said.
The letter also asked state administration to ensure easy movement of officials for discharge of duty. Panda requested the chief secretaries to instruct district administration and local authorities to cooperate with bank and financial services employees, provide adequate security to them and not impede their functioning or movement.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Bank Employees Federation (MSBEF) has demanded that the state government should allow all section of bank employees (public, private, foreign and cooperative) to travel by local trains to provide essential services.
