The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), representing nine bank staff unions, has announced a statewide strike in Maharashtra on November 16. The strike is in response to alleged harassment and violence faced by bank employees from recipients of the Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme, according to TOI report.
UFBU state convener Devidas Tuljapurkar told TOI about incidents of abuse and assault in various districts, attributing the chaos to poor planning and communication by the government.
“There is utter chaos in banks while implementing ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme due to a lack of planning and communication on part of govt.Overall, there is an atmosphere of fear among bank employees. Therefore, we have decided to voice our concerns by observing a day-long strike,” he said.
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Physical Assault of Bank Employees
He reported a number of incidences in which local netas and scheme beneficiaries harassed, insulted, and sometimes physically attacked bank employees in Beed, Jalna, Latur, Dhule, and Pune. According to UFBU, there has been a significant rush at bank counters to activate inactive accounts, link Aadhaar, and establish new accounts in order to participate in the scheme.
The union demands better security and additional manpower to handle the rush at bank counters. On the other hand, State minister Atul Save urged the unions to hold talks with government before taking any extreme measures.
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What is Ladki Bahin Yojana Scheme?
The Maharashtra government launched Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme on August 17 to provide financial assistance to women and make them more independent and self-reliant. The scheme aims to empower women through financial assistance, providing Rs 1,500 per month to women aged 21-65 with an annual income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh.
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Maharashtra Election 2024
The state will go to the elections on November 20. The BJP is keen to retain power in Maharashtra along with allies Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The BJP led Mahayuti alliance is facing a challenge from the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition of the Congress-NCPSP-Shiv SenaUBT, which hopes to repeat its performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The opposition MVA alliance won 31 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha elections.
