In a unique protest against delay of loan sanctions under various government schemes, beneficiaries in Krishna district had garbage dumped in front of banks with the help of sanitation staff. Protesting delay in processing of loans under the welfare schemes Jagananna Thodu (for small traders), PM Svanidhi (for street vendors) and YSR Cheyutha (for women entrepreneurs), garbage was dumped in front of local branches of various public sector banks.
In Vuyyuru, notices were put up attributing the act of protest to the Commissioner of Vuyyuru Municipality. This has led to leaders from opposition parties blaming the YSRCP government for encouraging the act of dumping garbage in front of banks. However, Krishna District Collector Md Imtiaz called the garbage dumping incidents unfortunate, and stated that the district administration will ensure they will not happen again.
In a report to District Collector Md Imtiaz, Vuyyuru Municipality Commissioner N Prakash Rao mentioned that eight banks in the Vuyyuru Municipality limits had not been cooperating with the processing of loans under welfare schemes. He claimed that even after he met the manager of each bank and requested to sanction the loans, in four banks – Andhra Bank, State Bank of India, Syndicate Bank and Corporation Bank – the loans were not processed. “Beneficiaries have complained that although they were making daily visits to the bank, the managers were talking to them in a belittling manner. They have complained that in spite of leaving work and visiting banks every day, they are not being sanctioned the loans,” the Municipal Commissioner said. He said that the beneficiaries then approached MEPMA (Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas) officials, and went along with sanitation workers to dump garbage in front of banks and put up placards in the Commissioner’s name.
Following instructions from Collector Md Imtiaz, he said that the garbage has been removed by the sanitation workers, and bleaching and sanitation work has been done.
Bank employees have condemned the protest. All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) secretary BS Rambabu told the media that the incidents are hurtful. “It feels like anarchic forces are ruling the state. The government must not encourage such moves,” he said.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Leader of Opposition Chandrababu Naidu called the protests a “state-sponsored act” and said that it reflects badly on the state’s reputation.
Commenting on the incident, Karnataka BJP leader and national general secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh said the incident indicated “Deplorable standards of Governance.”
Union Bank of India refuses to give loans for a state sponsored freebie ‘ Jagananna Thodu ‘ scheme . This is @ysjagan Party’s way of retaliation . Dump waste in front of Bank branches . Deplorable standards of Governance . Following the ways of @MamataOfficial . https://t.co/I9cov859dx
— B L Santhosh (@blsanthosh) December 24, 2020
Collector Md Imtiaz said that the district officials will coordinate with the banks and ensure that the loans under the schemes will be disbursed properly.