 "An electrician puts lights on the logo of State Bank of India at its main branch in Mumbai")
The Union government, which is under attack for its demonetisation drive and for the State Bank of India's decision to write off loans extended to 63 large business enterprises, including Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines, has found support from a strange quarter.
Bhaurao Sitaram Sonavane, an employee with the sanitation department of Trimbakeshwar Municipal Council has, quite interestingly, welcomed SBI's decision but says it should not be limited to the influential few but should be extended to persons like him as well.
Sonavane has taken a loan of Rs 1.50 lakh from SBI's Trimbakeshwar branch to repay to his friends and colleagues, who had helped him meet expenses incurred for his son's hospitalisation.
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The sanitation worker is receiving the support of employees of sanitation departments across the state, who also want their loans written off.
"I am a small person working in the Municipal Council of Trimbakeshwar which is a pilgrimage centre. I was really impressed with the news that appeared in a local daily about SBI's move to write off loans worth Rs 7,000 crore taken 63 wealthy persons including Kingfisher Airlines. It is a welcome move. I had taken loan of Rs 1.50 lakh in April with a repayment period of three years. The monthly installment comes to Rs 4,200, which I am repaying regularly. Two months' instalments are outstanding. If SBI can write off loans given to Mallya and others, I hope the bank will extend such generosity to me as well," Sonavane told Business Standard over phone. He said that he had dashed off letter to the manager of SBI's Trimbakeshwar branch but has yet to get response.
"I can understand that bank employees are currently overburdened due to the government's demonetisation move. I will follow my request in due course," Sonavane said.
He argues that the government should not discriminate between industry heavyweights and small persons on loan write-offs. ''I hope the bank will examine the merits of my case sympathetically," he notes.
Interestingly, Sonavane is not the only one from the sanitation department at Trimbakeshwar -- he has received overwhelming support from those working in sanitation, conservancy and health departments across Maharashtra.
Mumbai Municipal Employees Federation president, Prakash Devdas, says the Centre's demonetisation drive has completely disrupted the lives of the common man and especially lower rank employees of civic bodies. And SBI's move to write off loan given to the wealthy has added insult to injury.
"It is bad enough that lower rank employees are being forced to queue up in serpentine lines, in order to exchange old notes for new ones. Several weren't able to report to work and had to sacrifice their daily wages. In such a situation, teh news about the write-off to industry players is quite disappointing. The government and banks should write off loans taken by small persons and give them relief," he said.
Employees from the sanitation department of the Thane Municipal Corporation are upset about the fact that they have been getting repeated reminders from banks for loan repayment, as as those given to businesses are written off. "This is quite discriminatory," said one employee, who is struggling to repay a Rs 5 lakh loan.
READ OUR FULL COVERAGE ON THE MODI GOVT'S DEMONETISATION MOVE
