JK Bank’s New Zoning Sparks Outrage in Bandipora

 Suhail Rather

Bandipora, August 02 (KNS): While JK Bank claimed to have brought banking services right to the doorsteps of the people, the management has put the population of 4 lakh people of Bandipora district in despair by aligning its branches with Budgam zone and Ganderbal cluster.

The impact of this unjust decision is that for an educated unemployed youth or a businessman living in Tulail, he has to travel more than 200 kilometers to get his file approved at zonal office Budgam and then has to travel 50 more kilometers to reach the cluster office in Ganderbal before returning back to his home. This he has to do several times (as per the past experiences) before his file gets approved.

While the Bandipora district was demanding a separate cluster and zone in the district, local residents said, the JK Bank conducted another surgical strike on the residents by shifting it further far from them in Budgam and Ganderbal.

This is despite the fact that Bandipora branches are the best performing branches of JK bank with least NPA account as compared to other districts. “Besides the deposits of the people of Bandipora are all lying with JK Bank,” said a senior businessman of the district alleging that despite reposing trust in JK Bank, people of Bank have always received a step-motherly treatment from the JK Bank management.

Earlier Bandipora district was aligned with Baramulla Zone and people were demanding separate zone for the district.
In a circular issued on June 30, General Manager S&IT Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat said the bank has initiated various measures to attain greater efficiency and productivity in operations and as part of this initiative, Bank has opened new cluster offices streamlining the business operations. However surprisingly the branches of Bandipora district have been mapped with Cluster Office Ganderbal under zone Budgam leaving the customers of Bandipora in shock.

All the politicians, civil society members and business community has strongly condemned the order by the JK Bank.

Former Minister and senior PDP leader Naeem Akthar termed the decision as very unkind and unjust and urged the JK Bank management to revoke the decision and establish a sperate cluster and zone in Bandipora district stating that JK Bank still has a fair representation of people from Kashmir, who know the topography.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Akthar said Bandipora is a district and deserves a zone and a cluster as it also has far flung areas especially in Gurez.

“Their banking is already difficult but they are making it more difficult and this is putting a brake into the development of the area,” he said, adding that the people of Kashmir repose their trust in JK bank and it is necessary for them to return this trust rather than reducing the scope of their contact with society.

Former Legislator Nizam-ud-Din Bhat termed the order as arbitrary and unjust and said that the shifting has deprived both consumers of JK Bank as well as the poor people of much needed facility. He demanded immediate intervention from the Lieutenant Governor to fulfil the demand of the people to have separate cluster and zone in Bandipora.

Former Legislator Usman Majid also came down heavily on JK Bank and accused them of step-motherly treatment with the people of Bandipora district. He said while people were demanding separate cluster and zone for Bandipora, JK Bank has stabbed them in the back by this arbitrary decision. 
While demanding immediate revocation of the order and establishment of a separate cluster and zone in Bandipora district, Usman Majid said if bank failed to do so, we will be forced to launch an organised campaign against it and opt for services from other banks.

People’s Conference leader Yasir Reshi said any order of the bank should be people friendly and for people’s convenience. But here bank has done the opposite, when baking has reached to doorsteps, they are making it difficult for us.

Apni Party leader Imtiyaz Parray suspected some ‘conspiracy’ by some officers with ulterior motives and demanded immediate revocation of the order and establishment of a separate cluster and zone in Bandipora district.

Trade Union leaders including Shamshad Ahmad, Raies Ahmad and Wali Mohammad also demanded immediate revocation of the order and demanded a separate zone for the district. (KNS)

To Top