THIS IS A SUCCESS STORY OF A BRANCH MANAGER – WHEREIN THE METHOD ADOPTED IS VALUABLE, INNOVATIVE AND PRACTICABLE – in the present Banking Environment
EXPERIENCE SHARED BY ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS
DURING THE FIRST I-2 PROGRAMME HELD AT AO, RAIPUR
(12-07-2010 TO 17-07-2010)
DONGARGARH BRANCH, under RBO-III, BHILAI, IS A CURRENCY CHEST BRANCH LOCATED IN SEMI URBAN AREA. BRANCH IS CATERING TO 1350 PENSIONERS & 450 NIRASHRIT PENSIONERS ALSO.
DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF EVERY MONTH, i.e. upto 7/8th of every month, the branch is crowded with pensioners and salaried class for withdrawal of cash. We are not able to cater to the needs of High value Clientle & SME Customers during this period.
During the month of January, 2009, I (Branch Manager – V.Chandrasekhar, MMGS-III) was informed by CEO, Janpad Panchayat & Programme Officer (NREGA) that Dongargarh branch is allotted with 5000 new accounts and has to open these accounts and arrange for their payment.
The newly appointed SDM of Dongargarh, an IAS officer on probation, is personally monitoring the NREGA accounts opening and payment issues with Bankers as well as the Sarpanch/Sachiv of each village. He is forcing the opening of accounts without focusing on the difficulties of villages / Banker. The SDM has also cautioned us that in case of failure of opening the accounts, he will shift the NREGA main account & CEO JP account to other bank viz. Durg Rajnandgaon Gramin Bank (or) Dena Bank. An average amount of Rs.3 to 4.5 crores is maintained in these accounts.
As a branch manager, I met the SDM thrice about the whole issue and explained the process of account opening to payment to NREGA labourers in CBS Environment. He was convinced to a great extent with the difficulty of SBI branch as well as labours of villages who have to approach the branch for payment from a far place.
I was successful in convincing the SDM for opening 800 – 1000 accounts – all pertaining one village only and the branch will make the payment at the village itself either fortnightly or once in month. We have selected one village namely “MOHARA” which is around 18 Kms from our branch and the native place of Dongargarh MLA.
After convincing the SDM & CEO, JP, I took a meeting of staff at the branch for opening of these accounts. Some resistance came from the staff, but they were convinced after my elaboration of pros & cons of such initiative. One of our senior clerk Mr.S.K.Thakur and the newly recruited Clerk Mr.Brajesh Malviya, came forward for successful implementation of the process.
The Sachiv of Mohara village extended full support to us during the process. I alongwith one clerk visited Mohara village took a meeting of Sachiv & Sarpanch and other local people. Handed over the NO FRILL account opening forms to them and also a sample (duly filled in) account opening form and explained the other required papers for account opening.
The sachiv got the a/c opening forms in bunches of 100 – 150 and handed over the branch. The branch opened these accounts through Bulk Account Opening in 5-6 phases and also printed the passbooks. All these passbooks were issued to customers at the village panchayat office (at the doorsteps of villagers).
The payment list is provided by Janpad Panchayat in hard copy with names and amount. We have fed the same in xls sheet and the same was uploaded for posting in the accounts. Every month we just altered the amount only as our list & the list of janpad panchayat are in same order.
One clerk, One Armed Guard & One messenger, along with cash (around Rs.4.00 lacs to Rs.5.00 lacs) are deputed in a Car to the “Mohara”Village for payment to NREGA customers. The payment is made as per the list provided and not as per the total balance lying in the account (the actual balance is visible only in the system). Payment of around 400-450 are done on a single day and these are posted in system after coming back from the village – through batch cash payments menu.
The passbooks are also updated by our Messenge – Mr.Vishnu Yadav, at monthly intervals (some times on Sundays also) and are handed over to the customers at the village itself.
THIS INITIATIVE NOT ONLY ENABLED US IN RETAINING THE MAIN ACCOUNTS OF NREGA & CEO JP, DONGARGARH, BUT ALSO ENABLED US TO REDUCE / MINIMIZE THE CUSTOMER APPROACHING THE BRANCH IN THE FIRST WEEK OF EVERY MONTH. NO CASH PAYMENT IS ALLOWED AT THE BRANCH PREMISES TO NREGA CUSTOMERS BARRING FEW EXCEPTIONS.
THE BRANCH IS ABLE TO FOCUS OUR HIGH VALUE CLIENTELE and SME CUSTOMERS DURING THE FIRST WEEK ALSO. AS PER THE PROMISE MADE BY THE BRANCH WITH THE CONSENT OF OUR CONTROLLERS, THE BRANCH IS MAKING ALL NREGA PAYMENTS AT THE VILLAGE ITSELF.
- V.CHANDRASEKHAR
Erstwhile BRANCH MANGER
DONGARGARH (TILL 10.06.2010)Courtesy: Shri K Natarajan, Citizen Facilitator, Bhopal Circle
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