Bank Management is not serious about resolving issues, says Chief Labour Commissioner

Under the direction of the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, a conciliation meeting was conducted today (April 29, 2025) to settle ongoing conflicts between management and public sector bank unions. The purpose of the meeting was to ensure good labor relations and to address a number of important requests. All participants were greeted by the CLC, which also urged them to collaborate and seek a peaceful resolution.

Concern Over Lack of Commitment by Bank Managements

The CLC expressed disappointment that many bank managements are not taking the conciliation meetings seriously. Despite repeated advice, some banks are not sending senior officials who can make decisions. This attitude not only disrespects the authority of the CLC but also delays the process of finding a fair solution.

All banks have again been advised to depute senior officers who can actively participate and help reach settlements.

Conclusion and Next Meeting

The CLC urged all stakeholders to continue discussions at the bipartite level (between unions and management) and try to solve issues amicably. The next conciliation meeting is scheduled for June 17, 2025, at 11:30 AM.

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Branch Manager Suspended for raising voice against Leave Denial

At Punjab National Bank in New Delhi, a startling instance has surfaced. According to accounts, a branch manager was suspended for speaking out against the higher authority's decision to deny leave. 

The branch manager has submitted one day leave which was declined by the higher authority. The branch manager put this on his WhatsApp status – he wrote “Single Day Casual Leave is denied by Competent Authority. Why this kolaveri di?”

 To his astonishment, however, the bank administration promptly sent him an explanation letter. The branch manager allegedly broke the bank's social media policy, according to the management. According to the letter, bank workers should refrain from criticizing the bank's management and from participating in any social media groups that do so. The branch manager has five days to provide an explanation.

The branch manager responded that since the content was not offensive or defamatory and didn't include any private information, he hadn't broken the bank's social media policy. It was merely a private statement of concern about issues pertaining to corporate openness and employee welfare. He asserted that every Indian citizen has the inherent right to constructive criticism and peaceful expression.The branch manager has now being suspended and the case is going on.

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PSU Bank introduce new app for their Employees, is this app to track staff?

Another problem surrounds Punjab National Bank, one of India's biggest public sector banks. A new debate has emerged following the conclusion of the new transfer policy problem. 

Punjab National Bank has unveiled two new features for its staff: the PNB Aagman app for tracking attendance and a feedback system based on QR codes. The PNB Aagman app will be discussed in this post. 

This new software was released by PNB to track employees' locations and record their attendance. This implies that an employee can only record their attendance if they are present at their workplace. The app user will need to provide the app with their location in order to accomplish this. There are versions of the mobile app for iOS and Android.

PNB employees can download the app and mark attendance via this app. Everything seems to be super cool and hi-tech but the employees are not happy with it. Employees and Bank Associations have taken to social media to express their anger and grief regarding the app.

Users are protesting that the software infringes their privacy, as you can see from the tweets above. We Bankers Association claims that Punjab National Bank already uses a desktop biometric attendance marking system, so why is the bank using an app for attendance? The bank has been accused by the Association of live-tracking its workers. Workers are concerned that the software could be used to spy on them. 

The Bank Officers' Association has expressed grave worries regarding two new PNB-introduced systems: the customer feedback technique based on QR codes and the AAGMAN App for recording attendance. According to the group, these new methods cause needless stress at work and invade officers' privacy.

The app is location-based, which means it tracks where the officer is. It also seeks access to officers’ personal data, such as their contact list, phone calls, and other private information. The association pointed out that biometric attendance is already in place in the bank, which serves the same purpose. Therefore, introducing another system for attendance seems unnecessary and looks like an attempt to control the private lives of officers.

Users complain various issues with the app

1. The mobile app is not available on the Google Play Store, which is the official app store for Android. When an app is uploaded on the Google Play Store, Google checks the app and the app goes live only if it as per Google’s policies. In this case, the PNB Aagman app is not available on the Google Play Store means there might be some issue with the app.

2. The app does not seem to be working properly. When users downloaded the app for testing, the app kept on showing the message – Loading, and finally, the app crashed. This means the app has some developmental issues.

3. The app asks for various permissions, such as permissions to access phone calls, which completely violates the privacy of users. Such permissions are not needed for an attendance app. These permissions are needed to manage phone calls and contacts. Recently, Google and the Government of India have asked Citizens not to provide any permission that is irrelevant to the working of any app. This means that a camera app should not ask for phone permission, a calendar app should not ask for camera permission, and so on. So in this case, an attendance app should not ask for phone call permissions. The app is based on marking biometric via location tracking and so it should ask for location permissions only.

4. Users say that the bank has already implemented biometric attendance in desktops and the system is working flawlessly. When one system of attendance marking is working properly then why bank is spending money on mobile apps? Instead, this money should be utilised in the betterment of the existing system. The development and maintenance of mobile apps require a lot of funds and these could have been used to make the existing biometric system better.

Meanwhile, PNB Management is working hard to revamp the bank and improve customer service. What happens next – let’s see – whether the app will be implemented or not. What are your thoughts? Tell us in the comment section below.

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Bank Manager and Clerk Arrested in Rs.23 Lakh Fraud Case

 

A branch manager and a clerk from Indian Bank's Santhome branch in Chennai have been taken into custody by the Central Crime Branch's Bank Fraud Investigation Wing on suspicion of being involved in a significant fund theft case.

The police claim that Sathya Narayana, the regional manager of Indian Bank, lodged the complaint that led to the arrests. He accused P. Jayasingh, a clerk at the Santhome branch, and Sundar Mohan Maji, the branch manager, of grave financial malfeasance in his complaint to the City Police Commissioner.

Misuse of Customer Accounts

The complaint claims that by fraudulently taking money out of customer accounts, the two bank employees abused their positions. They allegedly obtained dormant accounts those that had not been used for a long period of time and falsified customer signatures to siphon off funds without the account holders’ knowledge.

Loans Taken Without Customers’ Knowledge

The officials also allegedly took out loans in the names of unsuspecting customers. These loans were then settled by pledging jewellery, possibly stolen or fraudulently acquired. In one instance, they are accused of swindling 146.5 grams of gold jewellery from a customer. The total loss caused by their fraudulent activities has been estimated at Rs.23 lakh, as per the bank’s internal findings.

Arrest and Legal Action

The Central Crime Branch investigated the case and arrested both Sundar Mohan Maji and P. Jayasingh. They were presented before the court and have been remanded to judicial custody as the investigation continues.

This case has raised serious concerns over internal monitoring and customer account security at banking institutions. Authorities have assured that strict action will be taken and all efforts are being made to recover the defrauded amount.

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Rs 10 crore fraud in Bank of India(BOI), Senior Bank Officer Sent to Jail

Three people were sentenced to five years in prison by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court for defrauding Bank of India out of Rs.10.27 crore in a significant decision. In the case, which began in April 2012, a businessman, a senior bank official, and an intermediary forged paperwork in order to obtain credit from the bank without authorization.

The court also imposed severe financial penalties in addition to the jail sentence. The middleman received a fine of Rs.30 lakh, the banker Rs.15 lakh, and the businessman Rs.8 crore.

Case Registered in 2013 by CBI

The CBI’s Economic Offences Wing registered the case on February 2, 2013. Those named in the case included:

• Nikhil Patt, a businessman
• Damodar Kamath, then senior manager (credit) at Vijaya Bank
• Sooraj Tayade, an agent
• Four other accused, including two who are still absconding, one who passed away during the trial, and one who was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

How the Bank Fraud Happened

The complaint came from the Deputy Zonal Manager of Bank of India’s Mumbai North Zone. According to the investigation, the fraud was carried out using fake Letters of Credit (LCs) – financial instruments banks use to guarantee a buyer’s payment to a seller.

Kamath, the bank manager, issued four such fake LCs worth a total of Rs.10.27 crore. Here’s how the LCs were misused:

• Two LCs worth Rs.7.25 crore were issued in the name of Madhav Trading Corporation, a company owned by Nikhil Patt.
• One LC was issued to Siddhi Graphics, owned by Sameer Shah.
• The fourth LC was in the name of Parmar Trading Corporation, owned by Chandrakant Desai.

Shah and Desai are still on the run.

Misuse of Funds

Once the fake LCs were processed, a Bank of India officer named T. Gopala verified and cleared them. The money was then credited to the accounts of the three companies involved.

However, the money was not used for any business purpose. Instead, it was transferred across different accounts and withdrawn in large amounts by the accused.

The investigation revealed that out of the Rs.10.27 crore:

• Rs.1.02 crore was transferred from Madhav Trading Corporation to Suraj Kumar Trading, a company owned by Sooraj Tayade.
• Another Rs.15 lakh was directly transferred to bank manager Kamath, suggesting his active role in the fraud.

This case is a serious example of how banking frauds can affect public financial institutions. The court’s decision sends a clear message: those who misuse their position and cheat the banking system for personal profit will face strict legal consequences.

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This PSU Bank orders Officers to work on Holidays

 

A circular issued by UCO Bank Pune Zone instructs officers to report for duty on holidays. According to the order, officials have been required to monitor the KCC Loan Accounts on April 26 and 27, 2025. According to the letter, UCO Bank has planned a special rectification camp throughout its Pune Zone in an attempt to enhance the performance and supervision of KCC (Kisan Credit Card) SGNPA (Special Mention Account – Non-Performing Assets) accounts. Selected officers from the Zonal Office have been assigned to visit different branches in order to promote the program, and the camp is scheduled for April 26 and 27, 2025.

Purpose of the Camp

The main aim of this camp is to assist branch teams, review the progress of SGNPA rectification efforts, and ensure that corrective actions are being taken to reduce NPA (Non-Performing Asset) levels under the KCC segment. The officers will provide guidance and collect field insights that will help in better managing loan accounts of farmers under the KCC scheme.

All assigned officers have been instructed to:

• Provide support and guidance to branch staff.
• Monitor the status of rectification of SGNPA accounts under KCC.
• Ensure that branches are taking timely action to meet set targets.
• Submit a detailed report of their findings and suggestions by 28th April 2025.

What is the issue?

The people on social media are criticizing the Bank for calling officers on holidays. The main points raised on social media are:

While the whole banking sector is calling for 5 Day Banking, such directives are seen as a big hurdle in the implementation of 5 Day Banking. Holidays are provided so that officers can relax and maintain a good work-life balance.

If officers will work for all the 7 days in a week, then when will they get the time to spend with their family and friends. Family, Friends and social life are an important part of life of human being and a human should be active on his/her social life.

Another important point is the utilisation of public money. UCO Bank is a public sector bank and the money in the bank belongs to the public. The bank has ordered officers to work on holidays and Bank will pay the officers for working on holidays. Normally officers are paid around Rs.1500-2000 per day for working on holiday. This is just mis-utilisation of funds.

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Bank Unions met with IBA on 23 April, Read what about 5 Day Banking & other residual points

On April 23, 2025, Bank Unions met with IBA to address a number of concerns, including the Revised PLI plan, 5-Day Banking, and other matters.

What discussions were held about 5 Day Banking?

The establishment of five-day banking was considered by the bank unions and IBA. According to several sources, the government opposes five-day banking, the bank unions told IBA. The unions will have to go on strike once more if this is the case. According to IBA, they are pursuing the issue with DFS.

The key question, however, is how long the IBA will talk to the government on five-day banking. The conversations have continued for more than a year. Also on April 23, 2025, no solid discussion was held regarding 5 Day Banking. Like all other meetings, this time also IBA tried to liaison with bank unions in order to defer strike. AIBEA has released minutes of meetings which are as follows:

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) allows children aged above 10 years to manage their own bank accounts

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has taken a major step toward encouraging early financial independence by permitting children ten years of age and older to open and manage their own savings and term deposit accounts on their own. A significant change in the way the banking sector interacts with young consumers has occurred with the release of the updated rules on April 21, 2025, which allow banks to allow minors to handle their own accounts—within the parameters set by each bank's risk policy.

Key highlights of the new guidelines:

Minor accounts at any age: Banks may allow minors of any age to open and operate savings and term deposit accounts through a natural or legal guardian. The RBI has reaffirmed the provision to allow mothers to act as guardians for such accounts, as per its long-standing circular from 1976.

Independent operation from age 10:

Minors above the age of 10 may open and operate their accounts independently, subject to limits and terms defined by individual banks, based on their internal risk management policies. These terms must be clearly communicated to the account holder.

Transition upon majority: On attaining majority (18 years), banks must collect fresh signatures and operating instructions from the account holder. If the account was managed by a guardian, the balance must be confirmed. Banks are instructed to take proactive steps to ensure a smooth transition.

Access to modern banking tools: Subject to their risk policies, banks are allowed to offer additional facilities like internet banking, ATM/debit cards, and cheque books to minor account holders.

No overdrafts allowed: Whether operated independently or through a guardian, minor accounts must remain in credit and cannot be overdrawn.

KYC compliance mandatory: Banks must perform customer due diligence while opening minor accounts and continue compliance under the RBI’s Master Direction on KYC, 2016.

These guidelines will be applicable to all commercial banks, urban co-operative banks, state co-operative banks, and district central co-operative banks. Institutions are required to revise their policies accordingly by July 1, 2025, RBI said.

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