Bahanaga: Members of ‘Jay Mahabir’ self help group gheraoed the Odisha Gramya Bank’s manager at Anji village under Bahanaga block in Balasore district Tuesday after the branch manager refused to sanction loan to the group. When the branch manager tried to convince the women members they had not listened to him and closed their bank account.
As per sources, the SHG, formed two years ago, opened an account in the name of Jay Mahabir at Odisha Gramya Bank, Anji branch.
According to the group, each member has been depositing Rs. 100 every month for the last two years so that they can take loan after the completion of two years. The group members had discussed it with the branch manager and he was said to have given green signal for this.
Group secretary Jasmin Mahalik and assistant secretary Urmila Mahalik with their group members reached the bank for taking the loan Tuesday at 11 am. After waiting for hours, they met the bank’s branch manager Sanjay Das Mohapatra with all relevant documents. But he refused to sanction the loan, said Jasmin. Angered over this, the women staged a protest at the bank and gheraoed the branch manager.
When Das Mohapatra was asked about this, he said that three members of this group — Manjulata Mahalik, Janaki Mahalik and Tilottama Mahalik — were the members of ‘Baba Akhandalamani’ SHG group earlier. And their group had taken Rs 320, 000 before and not repaid the loan amount yet. So, as per the bank rule, he said he had refused to sanction the loan to Jay Mahabir SHG.
According to group secretary Jasmin Mahalik, on the basis of one time settlement rule of bank, the three women had cleared their portion of loan amount Rs. 57,000 each. Though they have clearance certificate the branch manager refused to sanction the loan, she added.
When the branch manager had given the proposal to issue loan in the name of the group except the three women, the members rejected it and closed their account.
The women had called off their protest after the branch manger had given the clearance report that the three women had repaid their portion of loan and assured no bank notice would be sent to them in this regard.
PNN