Sarpanches of Gadasila, Balarampur and Siminai gram panchayats with signatures of 60 villagers, Zilla Parishad members and NGO representatives have filed a petition before the chairman of the Odisha Gyamya Bank for the removal of the branch manager from Gadasila bank for his alleged anti-costumer style of functioning and non cooperative banking activity.
In their petition, they alleged that for the non cooperation of Gadasila Gramya Brank, the NGO works have been impeded. Notably, a few NGOs have been engaged for development works in the Maoist prone parts of Dhenkanal.
Besides, the Branch Manager has been harassing the Woman Self Help Group (WSHG) members while they approach the bank to open accounts. Even those WSHG members who have accounts in the bank have decided to close them being disgusted with the attitude of the Branch Manager. The joint liability groups are also facing hurdles in carrying out their activities smoothly for the negative banking attitude of the Branch Manager. Besides, the villagers and Sarpanchs have alleged that due to the growing discontentment among the villagers, the rural banking activity in the region has been completely paralysed. The Angawadi workers, teachers, SHGs and NGOs also have been severely harassed by the branch. The villagers have demanded an enquiry relating to allegations and stringent action against the erring bank officials.