Banks misses deadline for opening tea workers account in Assam

GUWAHATI: In the wake demonetization, State Bank of India (SBI) has opened 61,000 accounts in the tea estates in Assam. The target of covering tea estates workers under the banking plan has missed the December 5 deadline.
Last month Assam chief minister, Sarbananda Sonowal Banks has asked the banks to open accounts of tea garden workers within December 5, 2016 to ensure disbursal of wages through such accounts from December 15, 2016 onwards.

According to SBI, Northeast circle the government has ordered banks to open accounts for all tea garden labourers so that wages can be transferred into accounts.

The statement added SBI has installed 10 numbers of POS machines. “Several beneficiaries whose account has been opened started online transactions. A total of 30 sites are ready for installation ATMs in various tea gardens. Out of 30 ATM sites, 11 ATM machines will be installed shortly within a span of two weeks.

The statement added the third Tea Garden ATM is supposed to be installed at Dhalsiri Tea estate, Dhekiajuli of Sonitpur District shortly.

Under the banking plan the banks will open as many as 7 lakh accounts and establish 1000 ATMS. Around 3 lakh workers have bank accounts.

RBI had relaxed norms for tea workers where tea garden management were allowed to give the cheques to Deputy Commissioners (DC) and DC withdrew the requisite amount and paid back to garden management.

Assam has around 850 big estates besides over one lakh small tea growers. There are over 10 lakh labourers engaged in the tea industry of the Assam. (Eom)