Agartala, February 23: The normal banking operations of Tripura Gramin Bank, boasting the largest network with 150 branches across the state, came to a grinding halt on Friday due to the nationwide strike of Grameen Banks (Regional Rural Bank).
Employees of Tripura Gramin Bank, in solidarity with the strike called by the All India Regional Rural Bank Employees Association, staged protests outside the bank’s head office in Agartala.
The association, comprising the Confederation of National Federation of RRB Officers, National Federation of RRB Employees, and National Federation of Retired RRB Staff, demanded resolution of various long-pending issues.
These demands include the formation of a national rural bank of India with state-level RRBs, decoupled from sponsor banks, wage parity with nationalized banks, immediate revision of promotion, service, and leave rules, as well as adequate recruitment to fill over 30,000 vacant positions and regularization of daily wage, casual, and contractual workers.
Protesters representing various political affiliations, including both opposition and ruling BJP, voiced their concerns over the non-responsive approach of the Government of India (GOI). They warned of a two-day nationwide strike scheduled for March 27th and 28th, 2024, if their demands remain unmet.
Currently, there are 43 Grameen Banks operating across India, catering to over 40 crore customers through approximately 22,000 branches nationwide.
