KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, May 14: All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), the largest organisation representing bank officers across the country, has written to Prime Minister seeking his urgent intervention for immediate implementation of a Five-Day Work Week in the banking industry.
In its letter, AIBOC welcomed the Prime Minister’s recent call for austerity, fuel conservation, reduction in avoidable travel and responsible use of national resources. The Confederation submitted that implementation of a Five-Day Work Week in banks would be a practical and nationally relevant measure in furtherance of these objectives.
AIBOC stated that banking services today are no longer confined to branch counters. With UPI, internet banking, mobile banking, ATMs, cash deposit machines, business correspondents, call centres and other digital channels functioning on a 24×7 basis, most routine banking services remain available to citizens even on holidays.
The Confederation emphasised that one additional weekly closure of physical branch operations would reduce commuting by lakhs of bank officers, employees and customers, thereby saving fuel, reducing traffic congestion, lowering electricity usage and decreasing the carbon footprint of the banking sector. It further pointed out that thousands of bank branches, particularly in semi-urban, rural, remote and power-deficient areas, depend on generator sets, and one additional weekly closure would save significant quantities of diesel over time.
AIBOC also highlighted that several major institutions, including Central Government offices, Reserve Bank of India, LIC, GIC and financial markets, already function on a Five-Day Week. The banking industry, despite being highly digitalised, continues to follow a six-day physical attendance pattern, causing avoidable expenditure and stress.
The Confederation submitted that the issue has already received broad acceptance in principle during the wage settlement process, with the assurance that daily working hours may be suitably adjusted to protect customer service, business needs and institutional responsibilities.
AIBOC has urged the Prime Minister to ensure final policy approval and notification of Five-Day Work Week in the banking industry at the earliest, stating that such a decision would promote fuel conservation, energy savings, lower emissions, better productivity, improved work-life balance and efficient public service delivery.
