IBA to Department of Financial Services: ‘Ongoing Covid wave claims lives of 1,300 bank staff’

As many as 1,300 financial institution staff have died because of the ongoing Covid wave, a lot greater than the general nationwide common.
According to a latest communication from the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, 600 financial institution staff — 0.04 per cent — of the overall financial institution workers numbering 13.50 lakh died because of Covid, whereas the ratio for the entire nation was 0.01 per cent — 1,53,000 deaths —of the overall inhabitants of 130 crore. However, as of now, 1,300 financial institution staff have already died because of Covid because the second wave intensified in March and April. This is 0.10 per cent (1,300 deaths) of the overall financial institution workers whereas for the whole nation, the ratio of dying is 0.02 per cent (2,87,000 deaths).
According to bankers, the variety of deaths among the many financial institution workers could be very excessive when in comparison with the nationwide common. The variety of financial institution workers who received contaminated with Covid can be very excessive as they’re but to get vaccinated.
“We observe that while the number of people infected in the second wave is increasing in the country as a whole, its toll on the banking sector is much higher, especially in the number of deaths. This is creating a lot of scare and panic among the bank employees,” stated CH Venkatachalam, common secretary, AIBEA.

Despite varied pointers and precautionary steps, the variety of financial institution staff who get contaminated is kind of excessive as financial institution branches are hotspots of all forms of individuals, bankers stated. “Not only regular customers, but others also throng bank branches for various services. The result was that a number of bank employees lost their precious lives due to the Covid-19 infection,” stated a banker.
“Our cry to treat bank employees under priority for vaccination was not taken seriously by the government and now only some ‘requests’ are being sent to the state governments. Even now, there is no directive to this effect from the Central government,” Venkatachalam stated.

With financial institution branches and staff throughout the nation going through the wrath of native authorities who’re eagerly imposing the Covid-19 lockdown, the Finance Ministry lately requested the state governments to make sure the security of the financial institution staff and allow them to commute to their branches for the sleek functioning of the monetary system.
Banks have been complaining that native authorities authorities have been forcibly shutting down branches, manhandling and stopping the staff from reaching their places of work in lots of states.