26 August, 2016

 TO

Sj. Narendra Modi ji, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. 

MEMORANDUM regarding chitfund-like loot of common people by a Nationalised Bank – Bank of Baroda – under ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’ (PMJDY).

Dear Pradhan Mantri ji,

I must congratulate you for the game-changing ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’ (PMJDY) envisioned by you for financial inclusion of the citizen at the Bottom of the Pyramid, connecting government directly with the people,  and eliminating huge corruption in the welfare schemes at one stroke.

But unfortunately, this unique Jan-Dhan Yojana has become a Jan-Soshan yojana (exploitation of the people) for some unscrupulous middlemen (Bank Correspondents) who have turned it into a chit fund scheme due to irresponsible handling of some bank officials. Here is an example for your kind attention and necessary action:

The centre of the fraudulent operation has been the Alisisasan extension branch, Code: 17041339, under Bank of Baroda’s Harishpur branch office in Puri district of Odisha. The vicious nexus, of which the concerned branch of the Bank of Baroda seems to be a part, duped at least 120 people, who opened accounts with the extension office and deposited their saving money, to an extent of Rs. 12,85,000.

The Bank Correspondent appointed by BoB mobilised people to open bank accounts under ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’ (PMJDY) and deposit money promising loans. Since the scheme was envisioned and promoted by the Prime Minister himself, people opened accounts and deposited whatever they had saved. Suddenly, the extension office was closed in late February 2016 without any prior announcement. And the concerned Bank Correspondent appointed by Bank of Baroda Mr Satyanand Malla vanished.

The depositors, who had authentic passbooks and deposit slips duly sealed and signed, immediately approached the manager of Harishpur Branch who simply ignored the issue. Then the depositors met the Regional Manager(RM) of Bank of Baroda at Bhubaneswar with a written complaint on March 18, 2016. On advice of the RM, the affected depositors lodged another written complaint with the concerned Branch Manager on March 19. They have also filed an FIR with the local Balipatna Police Station on 21

But, nothing has yet happened for the relief of the duped depositors even though more than six months have passed by now. The depositors who relied on the bank and agreed to open accounts to make the Prime Minister’s Jan Dhan scheme a success, have been suffering financially and mentally.

• One mason Mr Sajid Khan, S/o Ramju Khan, Village-Saheb Nagar, P.O.: Mahukhanda, P.S: Balipatna, Dist- Khordha, Odisha,  had deposited Rs.60,000/-(Rupees Sixty Thousand only) with the said extension counter of Bank of Baroda vide receipt No. 372342 on 24 November, 2015. He was promised for a home loan. Frustrated Sajid now feels he may not be able to build a home for himself in his lifetime.
• Another driver Md Golam Nabi Azad of Village- Giringa, PO/PS- Balipatna, Dist-Khordha, Odisha, had saved Rs.40,000/- vide receipt No. 370869 on 24 February, 2015 and another Rs.20,000/- vide receipt No. 443144 on 02 November, 2015, with the Bank of Baroda through this extention counter. He was promised for a loan to buy his own vehicle under self-employment scheme.
• Not only this, the said Bank Correspondent authorised by Bank of Baroda has also collected few lakhs more from unemployed youth of the area promising jobs as Collection Agent of the bank. One such victim is a 20 year old graduate Mr Rakesh Kumar Behera of Village-Raydeuli, PO-Palasahi, PS-Balipatna, Dist-Khordha, who paid Rs.50,000/- under assurance of a stamp paper agreement executed through Notary on 06 February, 2016. Unemployed Rakesh now has no resources to start something for self-employment even.

We approached the Regional Manage of Bank of Baroda in Bhubaneswar Mr Asim Panda many times over phone and email in July this year, but he passed on the blame to the Jan-Dhan scheme of the Prime Minister. That makes us to knock your door.  

Because a nationalised bank like the Bank of Baroda has been a part of the fraud in this case and has duped people in the name of a scheme envisioned and promoted by the Prime Minister, we appeal to the Hon’ble Prime Minister to ensure early refund of deposits to the duped depositors and institute a CBI probe into the case to trace out any negligence or link of the bank staff and punish the culprits so that the image of the Prime Minister and the banking system of India remain intact.

With warm regards,

Yours sincerely,

Chandra Mishra, People’s Journalist

Sent through http://pgportal.gov.in/pmocitizen/Grievancepmo.aspx  vide Registration Number is : PMOPG/E/2016/0312060, on 26 August, 2016, 4.10pm.

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