Non Gazetted Govt. Officers' Association in Andaman fumes over SBI RM's diktat

Source:http://ngoacc.blogspot.com/2011/10/illegal-and-arbitratry-press-statement.html

3-3/CC/2011 03.10.2011

Illegal and arbitrary press statement by State Bank, Regional Manager

To

The Chief Secretary,

Andaman and Nicobar Administration,

Port Blair.

Sub: Illegal and arbitrary press statement issued by Regional Manager, SBI, Port   Blair – regarding.

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Sir,

I am to invite your kind attention to a news item titled “All Govt. Employees to get salaries through banks from Oct. 1” appeared in The Daily Telegrams on 30th September, 2011, a copy of which is enclosed herewith for your kind reference. 
While talking to The Daily Telegrams, Shri Gautam Roy, Regional Manager, State Bank of India has stated that “From October 1st, 2011 onwards, salaries to all government employees as also other payments to beneficiaries of government schemes and the scholarship amount admissible to students, will be paid through banks via their respective accounts in all the three districts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.” He goes on to say that “As per the directives of government of India, Ministry of Finance, all the payment of salaries to the employees of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration will be made through bank accounts with effect from this Saturday.”

The above statement made by the Regional Manager, SBI has created utter confusion among the government employees and workers and among the government departments under the Administration. We have been informed by the sources in the Administration and the Director of Accounts & Budget that no instruction has been issued either by the Govt. of India or the A & N Administration to stop cash payment of salary to the government employees working under the Andaman and Nicobar Administration from 1st October, 2011.

We failed to understand as to how the Regional Manager of the SBI can decide upon the mode of payment of salary to the government employees working under the A & N Administration. Such irresponsible and uncalled for statement by the Regional Manager, SBI should not be allowed to go un-condemned.

In this connection, I draw your kind attention to the difficulties being faced by the government employees and workers who opted for bank payment of salary during the last few days due to failure of communication links, non-functioning of ATMs and long queues in the banks. Most of the rural areas in the islands are yet to be provided with bank/ATM facilities and government employees working in those areas will face difficulties for getting their salary/wages through banks.

I would, therefore, request you kindly to advise the Regional Manager, SBI, Port Blair not to make such irresponsible statements which will create unrest among the government employees and workers working under the Administration.

(D. Ayyappan)

General Secretary

Cell: 9434260430