Bhopal: Banking business worth Rs 8 lakh crore was affected on the first day of the two-day proposed bankers’ strike on Monday in protest against the privatisation of PSU banks. In the state capital, the business affected runs to Rs 1.5 lakh crore. Around 5,000 branches of various PSU banks were closed and, in Bhopal, 500 branches were closed.
The first day of the strike was a success and, since a significant number of employees observed the strike, cheque clearances were badly hit. Banks were already closed on March 13 (second Saturday) and March 14 (Sunday), leading to a four-day break in regular banking operations. Such services as deposits and withdrawals at branches, cheque clearances and loan approvals were affected due to the strike.
Various bank unions — the All-India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), All-India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), Bank Employees’ Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees’ Federation (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO) and the National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) — participated in the strike called by the UFBU.
Apart from bank unions, all the unions of the four general insurance companies will go on a strike on March 17. All the unions in LIC will go on a on strike on March 18, while the unions of four insurance companies have called a strike against the privatisation of public companies.
