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PARTHA PRATIM ACHARYA
Stephen Leacock was one of my favourite writers in my boyhood and I used to read and re-read his humorous, sarcastic writings. Out of that ,one was even in our syllabus namely MY FINANCIAL CAREER. Each time I used to laugh at the plight of the narrator , .his imaginary fear to go to a bank and of course about those events that followed.
But nature loves irony. After so many years I, myself felt the same in a bank. I would not like to share the name of the branch, but I think it will not be of bad taste to say that it’s a branch of TRIPURA GRAMIN BANK, the bank that survived and grew due to the judicious intervention of the Govt. that somehow managed to make the salaried persons somewhat compelled to be the customers of the bank.
Without any further introduction by saluting my readers to pay attention to my monotonous monologue let me go straight to the story.
Somehow I lost my cheque book in this time of our PM’s demonetization drive. I could not even today pay my electricity bill and landline bill as what I used to collect standing in long ques was some oddly designed 2000 rupee notes (that too from the ATM counter of SBI as most often I found the UBI ATM’s displaying a one liner THIS MACHINE IS TEMPORARILY OUT OF SERVICE. One of my close relatives ( Who is a leader of NCBEA) advised me to go to my branch and ask the branch to issue another cheque book (He told me that then I can draw 10000 Rupees easily). He also assured me that it will take only 2/3 minutes and asked me to go with a passbook.I was hesitant and presumed that the bank will prescribe me a lengthy process. But then suddenly I had a vision of the PM’s fiery revolutionary speeches about the DIGITAL INDIA .So I went to the branch and placed my request.The man in charge sent me to the Manager who said , “You first go to the Police Station, bring a copy of the GD entry , only then we can issue you another cheque book.” I nervously said, “to the police station? But sir, in SBI there is no such system.” In my imagination I was listening the roar of the honourable PM about digital India. The manager said, “you have to because that is our rule.” I asked him desperately, “do you have net banking facility, sir? I have to pay my electric bill and internet bill.” “Nope” he said. I rushed to one of my friends and took a loan of few thousands (thank god! He had some in his possession)
I went to the P.S. After one and half hours of waiting I could manage to get a copy of the G.D. entry.
Once more I had to enter into the branch. When asked for help, somebody told me to meet a lady. The lady was in her chair facing a computer. An old wooden chair with arms is kept in front of her probably for the VALUED CUSTOMERS(!). But I saw three or four people in her chamber, all standing with appealing eyes. I managed to sit and placed the papers. At that moment we heard a cacophony- I looked backward and saw the usual long queue in front of a window meant for updating the books (as the bank could not, like other banks, hand over this task to the ATM counters.) My mind travelled back and reminded me of my various earlier experiences in that particular counter. I remembered how once on a fine day I could, after waiting for an hour, update my book into 2015. The lion voice of our PM rose in my mind. INDIA IS DIGITAL! ALAS! Suddenly I saw the lady stood up and started telling, “why those people are creating halla each day? Stop that” and continued her blah blah blah in English. My conscience told me to say something and I said, “Ma'am you should not talk like that about the customers, rather you open another window.” She started giving me lecture about their effort through unions and asked me to lodge a complaint against higher authority. I liked that. At that moment another aggrieved gentleman entered and sought her help- whom she could not satisfy and he also left blaming the branch. I asked her why TGB is not providing net banking facility and why a customer who is physically present with his passbook has to go to the police station to cancel his checkbook. I muttered “this is nonsense.” I know that the words muttered meant- this kind of backwardness in a branch (in the era of digital India!) makes no sense.
But oh my God! Suddenly the rebellious unionized lady (who was telling so many things against the central authority of the TGB and relating her jihad) turned 180 degrees and thumping the table shouted “The bank is giving us bread and butter, you have said nonsense (!!!)” blah blah blah. I somehow tried to make her listen my words- but Lo! She was now once again desperate to show her spoken English skills (pity, that she couldn’t understand the logical use of certain words of mine which according to her earlier version was not making any sense and she is fighting through her union for those to be corrected.) A gentleman intervened and behaved very nicely and later I got my cheque book. Returning my office when I met my boss he related me that the branch manager complained that my behaviour was rude. Fortunately enough I had with me one of my colleagues who bore testimony to the whole event. What a volte-face a person who sat there to serve the customers (who are actually providing her bread and butter and not the bank itself as economics teaches me) can become made me astonished.
Later I related the matter to my colleagues and many of them decided to withdraw their account from the branch though I requested them not to do that. WHY?
Because during my service tenure as DDO of an establishment I saw how people like Manas da, Shibotoshda , kiran da (Branch Manager) dedicated themselves for establishing the TGB . Just a few hours ago , one respectable Branch Manager , after knowing the incident from some one, called me . We had a chat for 20 minutes. I salute those people for their love for the customers who BELIEVE IN THE the phrase BAHUJANO HITAYO CHA.
Regarding my today’s experience, I reflected much and am wondering what is the future of our TGB. Really I am worried . I am also feeling sorry for the good old people whom I mentioned as the makers of this bank.
Honestly speaking , I would in future rely on other people to do all transactions in that branch on my behalf or will find a better place to mend my wonky financial career.
But nature loves irony. After so many years I, myself felt the same in a bank. I would not like to share the name of the branch, but I think it will not be of bad taste to say that it’s a branch of TRIPURA GRAMIN BANK, the bank that survived and grew due to the judicious intervention of the Govt. that somehow managed to make the salaried persons somewhat compelled to be the customers of the bank.
Without any further introduction by saluting my readers to pay attention to my monotonous monologue let me go straight to the story.
Somehow I lost my cheque book in this time of our PM’s demonetization drive. I could not even today pay my electricity bill and landline bill as what I used to collect standing in long ques was some oddly designed 2000 rupee notes (that too from the ATM counter of SBI as most often I found the UBI ATM’s displaying a one liner THIS MACHINE IS TEMPORARILY OUT OF SERVICE. One of my close relatives ( Who is a leader of NCBEA) advised me to go to my branch and ask the branch to issue another cheque book (He told me that then I can draw 10000 Rupees easily). He also assured me that it will take only 2/3 minutes and asked me to go with a passbook.I was hesitant and presumed that the bank will prescribe me a lengthy process. But then suddenly I had a vision of the PM’s fiery revolutionary speeches about the DIGITAL INDIA .So I went to the branch and placed my request.The man in charge sent me to the Manager who said , “You first go to the Police Station, bring a copy of the GD entry , only then we can issue you another cheque book.” I nervously said, “to the police station? But sir, in SBI there is no such system.” In my imagination I was listening the roar of the honourable PM about digital India. The manager said, “you have to because that is our rule.” I asked him desperately, “do you have net banking facility, sir? I have to pay my electric bill and internet bill.” “Nope” he said. I rushed to one of my friends and took a loan of few thousands (thank god! He had some in his possession)
I went to the P.S. After one and half hours of waiting I could manage to get a copy of the G.D. entry.
Once more I had to enter into the branch. When asked for help, somebody told me to meet a lady. The lady was in her chair facing a computer. An old wooden chair with arms is kept in front of her probably for the VALUED CUSTOMERS(!). But I saw three or four people in her chamber, all standing with appealing eyes. I managed to sit and placed the papers. At that moment we heard a cacophony- I looked backward and saw the usual long queue in front of a window meant for updating the books (as the bank could not, like other banks, hand over this task to the ATM counters.) My mind travelled back and reminded me of my various earlier experiences in that particular counter. I remembered how once on a fine day I could, after waiting for an hour, update my book into 2015. The lion voice of our PM rose in my mind. INDIA IS DIGITAL! ALAS! Suddenly I saw the lady stood up and started telling, “why those people are creating halla each day? Stop that” and continued her blah blah blah in English. My conscience told me to say something and I said, “Ma'am you should not talk like that about the customers, rather you open another window.” She started giving me lecture about their effort through unions and asked me to lodge a complaint against higher authority. I liked that. At that moment another aggrieved gentleman entered and sought her help- whom she could not satisfy and he also left blaming the branch. I asked her why TGB is not providing net banking facility and why a customer who is physically present with his passbook has to go to the police station to cancel his checkbook. I muttered “this is nonsense.” I know that the words muttered meant- this kind of backwardness in a branch (in the era of digital India!) makes no sense.
But oh my God! Suddenly the rebellious unionized lady (who was telling so many things against the central authority of the TGB and relating her jihad) turned 180 degrees and thumping the table shouted “The bank is giving us bread and butter, you have said nonsense (!!!)” blah blah blah. I somehow tried to make her listen my words- but Lo! She was now once again desperate to show her spoken English skills (pity, that she couldn’t understand the logical use of certain words of mine which according to her earlier version was not making any sense and she is fighting through her union for those to be corrected.) A gentleman intervened and behaved very nicely and later I got my cheque book. Returning my office when I met my boss he related me that the branch manager complained that my behaviour was rude. Fortunately enough I had with me one of my colleagues who bore testimony to the whole event. What a volte-face a person who sat there to serve the customers (who are actually providing her bread and butter and not the bank itself as economics teaches me) can become made me astonished.
Later I related the matter to my colleagues and many of them decided to withdraw their account from the branch though I requested them not to do that. WHY?
Because during my service tenure as DDO of an establishment I saw how people like Manas da, Shibotoshda , kiran da (Branch Manager) dedicated themselves for establishing the TGB . Just a few hours ago , one respectable Branch Manager , after knowing the incident from some one, called me . We had a chat for 20 minutes. I salute those people for their love for the customers who BELIEVE IN THE the phrase BAHUJANO HITAYO CHA.
Regarding my today’s experience, I reflected much and am wondering what is the future of our TGB. Really I am worried . I am also feeling sorry for the good old people whom I mentioned as the makers of this bank.
Honestly speaking , I would in future rely on other people to do all transactions in that branch on my behalf or will find a better place to mend my wonky financial career.
28/12/2016
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