Bhubaneswar, May 2: The Odisha government has on Saturday announced plans to recommend strict action against officials of the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB)-sponsored Odisha Grameen Bank, following alleged procedural lapses. These lapses led to a tribal man carrying his deceased sister's skeletal remains to a bank branch in Keonjhar, attempting to establish proof of her death. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari shared this update on Saturday.
Minister Pujari informed the media that the government’s recommendation would be based on the findings of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) inquiry report into the incident.
“The bank could have initiated the necessary process internally by obtaining the death and legal heir certificates,” Pujari stated. He emphasized that the bank had the option to request these documents through formal communication with the relevant authorities.
He also noted that had the bank been under the state government's administrative control, swift disciplinary action would have been taken, and negligent staff would likely have been suspended. However, since the bank operates outside state control, the government will forward the RDC report to the appropriate authorities and urge action against the officials involved.
Despite this, the Odisha Grameen Bank Association has opposed any punitive measures. The association argues that the employees should not be held responsible for the incident and has threatened to initiate an agitation.
Pujari rejected this argument, saying, "Bank staff have a clear responsibility to guide customers, particularly those unfamiliar with banking processes." He pointed out that if a customer, like the individual in this case, was uneducated or unable to understand the procedures, the staff should have assisted in obtaining the necessary documents. "The required certificates could have been obtained by reaching out to the appropriate authorities," he added.
He further stressed that "shirking responsibility is not good governance," and stated that those claiming no lapse in the incident should reflect on the matter. He also addressed the bank's reaction, saying, "If anyone threatens agitation against legal action, they are free to do so."
In the wake of the incident, the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) defended its staff, asserting that they had adhered to established procedures. The bank explained that the man, identified as Jitu Munda (50), had visited the Malliposi branch for the first time in an intoxicated state. After causing a disturbance, he later returned with his sister's skeletal remains. The bank claimed that the episode arose from Munda’s lack of understanding regarding the claims process and his refusal to follow the procedures explained by the branch manager.
