Srinagar, Mar 20: Jammu and Kashmir Bank today regularized the services of 526 casually engaged workers under Bank’s scheme for casually engaged workers approved by the Board of the Bank.
J&K Bank Chairman & CEO Parvez Ahmed congratulated the casually engaged subordinate staff earlier working on meager wages on temporary basis for past so many years and living a life of distress.
He termed the decision of the Board as magnanimous as it not only made a meaningful difference in the lives of 526 families of the casually engaged workers but also augment the staff requirement necessitated by the retirements and expansion of bank’s branch network thereby affecting the banking services due to shortage of subordinate staff which is a very important link in the delivery of customer service.
“We are here to convey our gratitude to the Chairman and the Bank’s Board for this great and dignifying gesture on the auspicious occasion of Nauroz and Holi. Although we have been for years requesting the authorities on numerous occasions but this long-standing demand of seeking regularisation in the bank has finally seen the light of the day owing to staff-friendly policies of the current management and Board of Directors. The Bank has indeed expressed trust in our abilities to serve the Bank and presented this lifetime opportunity to us and our families to live life with dignity and respect in the society,” said a large group of such workers who called on the Chairman & CEO of the Bank.
The official spokesperson of the bank stated that the regularization has been done as per the recommendation of the Scrutiny Committee constituted by the Bank in compliance to the directions of the Bank’s Board in this regard. He explained that the casually engaged workers who have already completed 10 years have been regularized forthwith while as those who have not completed ten years have been engaged on contractual basis, till they complete 10 years of total service with the Bank, after which they will also become eligible for regularization subject to satisfactory performance. Candidates engaged on contractual basis will be paid consolidated wages as per the approved wage structure for such workers. However, wage protection shall be provided to candidates drawing higher wages. Elaborating further the official spokesperson informed that in respect of some left out candidates engagement shall be done on case to case basis post documentary clearance by the Scrutiny Committee constituted for the purpose.
Notably, Bank is vigorously undertaking expansion strategy in the state to improve its outreach in unbanked areas in the coming years. The Bank aims to enhance credit penetration and availability of hassle free finance to bring the Bank density/ unit population at par with the national level. The Bank has also outlined its upcoming growth strategy by augmenting the credit availability in J&K and creating specialized Easy Banking Units to promote micro-credit products and services for the rural populations. The expansion process requires additional manpower for which Bank has also announced recruitment of probationary officers and clerks in a time bound manner.
