Covid-19: Odisha government allows normal functioning of banks with 50% staff strength

BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Monday allowed all banks including public sector, private sector, regional rural banks, cooperative banks, small finance banks and insurance companies to function as per normal banking hour till August-end with strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines.
While large branches will operate with 50 per cent staff strength, small branches with less than five employees can operate with full staff strength. All the banks have been asked to strictly maintain social distancing while all employees will wear masks and use hand sanitizer, said the guidelines.
The state finance department has issued guidelines on functioning of various banks in August and communicated it to all collectors and state level bankers committee.
“Clearing house, controlling office of banks, SEBI, controlling heads of insurance companies and RBI are allowed to operate as per normal functioning hour with 50 per cent staff strength. Capital and debt market services as notified by the Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), cash-in transit companies, ATM maintenance companies and National Payments Corporation of India are also allowed to function with similar norms,” said the state government order issued by Pragyansmita Sahoo, director, institutional finance.
The state government also allowed banking correspondents and customer service points to function in unbanked areas as per normal banking hour with strict adherence to social distancing norms.
Postal employees and bank employees are allowed to move to the premises of senior citizens and differently-abled persons, if they are going to deliver cash on phone calls. “The employees in such cases will visit during normal banking hours and strictly adhere to Covid regulations like wearing masks, hand sanitizers and maintain social distancing,” said the order.
The state government has asked the banks and other financial institutions to sanitize their offices with disinfectants at regular interval and to keep sanitizer at the entry gate for customers.
The finance department has asked various district administrations to be vigilant to ensure that banks adhere to social distancing norms strictly. The local authorities (district collectors/municipal commissioners) have also been authorized to change in the timing of banks based on the situation on the ground.
Earlier, the state government has issued order asked its offices to function with 50 per cent staff strength.
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