TA Bills of officers who use their own automobiles for travel without prior authority approval are being rejected by Punjab National Bank (PNB). According to the existing procedure, officials must first obtain approval from the Circle Office before they are allowed to drive their own vehicle, and only then can their TA bill be approved. Even if officers travel for urgent official business, this requirement still holds true.
AIPNBOA has now vehemently opposed it. The All India PNB Officers' Association (AIPNBOA) has strongly urged the Punjab National Bank's (PNB) top management to immediately revoke this policy. Citing the policy's detrimental effects on officer morale and efficiency, the association has called it "demotivating" and "impractical."
AIPNBOA has now vehemently opposed it. The All India PNB Officers' Association (AIPNBOA) has strongly urged the Punjab National Bank's (PNB) top management to immediately revoke this policy. Citing the policy's detrimental effects on officer morale and efficiency, the association has called it "demotivating" and "impractical."
In a letter to PNB's MD and CEO, the AIPNBOA General Secretary requested that he investigate the matter. The problem has gained attention after the Staff Welfare and Compensation Cell (SWCC) allegedly denied a number of travel allowance (TA) requests, stating that prior authorization from authorities was not obtained.
The association highlighted that officers frequently need to travel at short notice for a wide range of duties, including:
Stock verification
Loan sanction and follow-up visits
End-use verification of loans
Security assessments
Field verification of borrower and customer addresses
Locker rent recovery
Legal and recovery work
Customer outreach and financial awareness programs
Business development and loan recovery drives
AIPNBOA claims that officers are not being reimbursed for official travel in their personal cars just because they did not get prior consent, which is frequently impractical in real-world scenarios. Field officers have reportedly been frustrated and dissatisfied as a result of these TA bills being rejected.
These duties cannot wait for official approvals, particularly in circumstances that are urgent or time-sensitive. Even in metropolitan and semi-urban areas, the group noted, personal vehicles are the only dependable means of timely transportation because public transportation is either inaccessible or inappropriate.
The letter also highlighted problems that branch heads and senior officials experience since, according to the current regulations, they have to get permission from the Circle Head before they can drive in their own car for official business. Due to his hectic schedule, Circle Head might not be able to provide approval right away, which causes delays and obstacles in the process.
The group also voiced worries that the general culture these policies foster shows a "lack of trust" in cops. According to the letter, "it is as if every officer is considered a thief until proven otherwise." This is detrimental to the working atmosphere in addition to being discouraging, especially for junior officers who are working under pressure in the field.
