TURA: Officials of the lead bank in the Garo Hills, State Bank of India, were hauled up by senior Meghalaya government officials for insisting on Aadhaar and PAN cards to open bank accounts during a review meeting at DRDA office in Tura to discuss developmental projects in the rural areas on Monday evening.

All three senior government officials, commissioner and secretary P Sampath Kumar, Meghalaya State Rural Livelihood Society CEO Shantanu Sharma, and West Garo Hills Deputy commissioner Ram Singh questioned a three member SBI delegation as to why their bank branches were insisting on Aadhaar and PAN card identity from people keen to open bank accounts.

According to the Reserve Bank of India rules, one can open a bank account if he has proof of identity of any one of the following, either a passport, driving license, Voter’s ID card (EPIC), a MGNREGA job card, Aadhaar or a PAN card.

Although the SBI officials denied their people were insisting on Aadhaar and PAN cards yet none among the gathered were impressed.

Deputy commissioner Ram Singh was most vociferous about the issue accusing the bank officials of deliberately demanding Aadhar and PAN cards so that they can achieve their bank targets.

“We know targets are set on bank branches to get required Aadhaar card accounts but this is only complicating the issue further. For many people in the rural sector government means a visit to the development blocks and the banks. But when you turn people away for not having Aadhaar and PAN cards you are doing a great injustice which is also illegal. You have to stop,” an angry Ram Singh demanded.

He cited a recent example of people being turned away at Tura’s Dobasipara branch of SBI because they did not have either of the two cards.

“Maximum number of cases and complaints about banks insisting on Aadhaar and PAN card are coming from Garo Hills itself,” revealed Shantanu Sharma, CEO of MSRLS.

Similar examples were given by BAKDIL NGO whose Self Help Groups (SHGs) were denied bank accounts at Kharkutta and Tikrikilla SBI branches.

“Our SHGs are unable to deposit their savings and start any project because the banks have repeatedly delayed opening our accounts,” said BAKDIL Secretary Fr. Sunny Maveli.

Commissioner and Secretary P Sampath Kumar suggested to the bank officials that they should put up a hoarding visible to all in their respective branches clearly mentioning that it is not mandatory for one to have Aadhaar and PAN cards to open accounts.

“You need to sensitise your branch managers and employees about the issue as well otherwise it will stall progress and development in the rural sector,” suggested Sampath Kumar.