Bhubaneswar: The Ministry of Finance has informed Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik that the insurance claim of a deceased depositor at Odisha Grameen Bank’s Malliposi branch in Keonjhar district has been settled, while the Branch Manager has been suspended for delays in the process.
In a letter dated June 12, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary wrote to Naveen Patnaik confirming the resolution. The claim amounting to Rs 19,402 was paid in favour of Jitu Munda and two legal heirs after the family submitted the necessary documents, including the death certificate and legal heir certificate, with assistance from the local administration.
Naveen had written to the Union Finance Minister on May 2, drawing attention to the alleged hardship faced by the family due to procedural delays at the bank branch.
The Ministry acknowledged the seriousness of the matter while stressing the need for balanced implementation of rules. “While strict adherence to prescribed procedures is essential in banking operations, it is equally important that such procedures are implemented with due sensitivity, empathy, and effective communication, particularly in rural and tribal areas,” the letter stated. In response, Odisha Grameen Bank (OGB) has suspended the Branch Manager of the Malliposi branch. The bank has also issued an advisory to all its field functionaries, directing them to ensure compassionate and transparent customer service. A copy of the advisory was enclosed with the minister’s letter.
Additionally, the Department of Financial Services issued a broader directive on May 29 to all 28 Regional Rural Banks across the country. The advisory calls for strengthening citizen-centric banking practices to prevent recurrence of similar incidents, especially for customers from rural, tribal, and other vulnerable sections of society.
The minister’s letter referred to Naveen Patnaik’s original communication and noted that the deceased depositor’s account lacked a surviving nominee, which necessitated the submission of prescribed legal documents for settlement. The intervention of local administration helped expedite the documentation process, leading to the final release of funds, it added.
Jitu Munda, daily wage labourer, had grabbed national and global headlines after a video of his carrying his sister’s skeletal remains to the bank as proof of death to withdraw money left in her bank account, went viral earlier this year.
