Bank branches could be shut for 3 days next week due to strike, holidays
Bank branches could be open only for four days next week due to a 2-day strike by several bank unions and other bank holidays. A host of bank unions have given a call for strike on March 15-16 against the proposed privatisation of two state-owned lenders by the government. All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Employees’ Federation Federation of Canara Bank Employees’ Congress (INBEF), Indian National Bank Officers’ Congress (INBOC), National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW), National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO) , All India Nationalised Bank Officers’ Federation Canara Bank Officers’ Association (Regd.) (AINBOF) are among the bank unions that have given a call for strike against the proposed privatization of two state-owned lenders by the government.
Next week, banks might remain open on Monday and Tuesday due to the strike and Sunday. So, if we count this week’s Saturday and Sunday then at a stretch some bank branches might remain closed for 4 days.
13 March 2021: Second Saturday
14 March 2021: Sunday
15 March 2021: Monday (bank strike)
16 March 2021: Tuesday (bank strike)
21 March 2021: Sunday
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting Budget 2021-22 had announced the privatisation of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) as part of a disinvestment drive to garner ₹1.75 lakh crore.
“Other than IDBI Bank, we propose to take up the privatization of two Public Sector Banks and one General Insurance company in the year 2021-22,” she had said.
Later in one of the post Budget interactions, the Finance Minister had said the government will work with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the execution of the bank privatisation plan announced in the Union Budget 2021-22.
The government last year consolidated 10 public sector banks into four and as a result, the total number of PSBs came down to 12 from 27 in March 2017.
Bank Holidays in March 2021: Complete list
5 March 2021: Holiday in Mizoram to celebrate Chapcher Kut
7 March 2021: Sunday
11 March 2021: Mahashivratri
13 March 2021: Second Saturday
14 March 2021: Sunday
21 March 2021: Sunday
22 March 2021: Bihar Day
27 March 2021: Fourth Saturday
28 March 2021: Sunday
29 March 2021: Dhuleti/Yaosang second day
30 March 2021: Holi
