Bank Sakhi Help in the Distribution of Scheme Benefits [Bank Sakhi Salary Benefits Pay Scale In Hindi ]
200 plus nations are trying the save the lives of the common people from the deadly Coronavirus. The situation in a developing country like India is rather scary. India lacks the medical infrastructure to treat 130 crore people, in case there is rapid community transmission. However, the central and state governments are trying their best to ensure that the people remain safe from the clutches of this disease. For this, the central government has extended the lockdown till the 3rd of May 2020. Prime Minister addressed the common people, and urged them to remain indoors for the coming two weeks.
This lockdown has nearly destroyed the financial structure in India and the other nations. The condition of the daily wage earners is rather bleak. They no longer have the scope of earning their livelihood. The central and state governments have introduced financial packages for providing economic and food security.
In this line, the Prime Minister has ordered the Central Finance Department to deposit Rs. 500 in the accounts of every woman who is a beneficiary of the PM Jan Dhan Yojana. Reports suggest that around 20.30 lakh beneficiaries will obtain the financial assistance.
Distribution of financial benefits
The responsibility of distributing the funds in the accounts of the beneficiaries of various schemes has been placed on the shoulders of Ministry of Rural Development. The officials have selected Direct Benefit Transfer as the primary benefit distribution mode. However, it has paved the path for another problem. The Prime Minister has asked the common people to maintain social distancing. As the beneficiaries flock to the banks to withdraw their money, it creates unnecessary crowd that can help the contamination to spread faster. The Rs. 2000 grant for the farmers will also be distributed through the banks. The government badly needed a way to stop the crowding of the beneficiaries at the banks.
Importance of Bank Sakhis
The female members of the Self-Help Groups have come forward to assist with the benefit distribution. They will work as the Bank Correspondent Sakhis or bank Sakhis. It will be the responsibility of the bank Sakhis to collect the benefit amount from the bank, and deliver it to the home of the beneficiary. It will eliminate the need for the beneficiaries to come to the banks. Thus, the common people will no longer violate the rules of lockdown.
The banks have issued special passes for the bank Sakhis. In many states, the CMs have asked the law enforcement departments to take stringent action against those who are getting out of their homes without any reason. The special travel passes, issued by the banks, in the names of the respective Bank Sakhis will enable to travel without any hindrance.
The bank authorities have also issued special ID cards for every Bank Sakhi. Apart from the banks, the local admiration can also issue these ID cards. The local administration will also offer the necessary gears to the Bank Sakhis. They will get hand sanitizers, masks and gloves to prevent contraction of the disease. They will be guided about the importance of social distancing, and how to maintain a safe distance from others.
Number of active Bank Sakhis
Official reports shed light on the fact that there are around 21600 Bank Sakhi, and 8800 Bank Correspondent Sakhis. 50% of both these groups have actively taken part in the task of grant distribution. The brave women are working in all the states and Union Territories during the lockdown. They are making things easy for the respective branch managers, as they no longer need to worry about managing the crowd and ensure social distancing.
Services offered by the BS and Bank Sakhis
There are banks in most rural areas. Some of the extremely remote places have bank correspondent points. The account holders can come to these places for depositing or withdrawing their cash. The Bank Sakhis and BC Sakhis are helping the state and central governments to offer the financial grants to the beneficiaries. Most people, living in the villages, are suffering from hunger and insecurities as the lockdown has disrupted their economic endeavors. The services of the Bank Sakhis and BC Sakhis are assisting these villagers to obtain the necessary financial assistance that can provide economic security.
The poor and uneducated people in the villages do not have access to mass media channels. They are mostly unaware of the special relief packages, which have been introduced by the central and state governments. Apart from distributing the grants, the BC and bank Sakhis are spreading awareness among the target beneficiaries. They are telling people about the guidelines of these relief schemes, and how they can obtain the perks.
The members of the Self-Help Groups, which are working as the BC and Bank Sakhis are working for the betterment of the people. They have exposed themselves to the dangers for greater good. Without the self-less acts of these women, it would have been impossible for the banks to maintain their functions smoothly. Financial experts have also stated that without the assistance of the Bank Sakhis, the idea of home delivery of the financial aid would not have taken off.
There are around 69 lakh registered Self-Help Groups in the nation. These agencies have 690 lakh members. These women have taken the necessary steps to improve their lives and add to the economic infrastructure of the nation. They are determined to help the needy people during these trying times. These community warriors ensure that the poor people do not suffer due to scarcity of food. The nation requires more community warriors like these for crossing the COVID – 19 pandemic hurdles.
Bank Sakhi Salary
The Bank Correspondent Sakhi or the Bank Sakhi will be justly rewarded for their services. It has been stated in the official announcement that the Bank Sakhis will be able to earn Rs. 3000 on a monthly basis. The official document also highlights that a Bank Sakhi can work for three banks at one time. In that case, she will earn anything between Rs. 9000 and Rs. 10,000 from these financial institutes. The service tenure of the Bank Sakhi is two years. However, their work will be assessed during the probation period that will last for two months.
Other Schemes