PLIGHT OF BANK PENSIONERS
Shri RK Nair, 90, retired GM of a nationalised bank died yesterday at Ernakulam, leaving behind his wife In an Old Age Home. Alone.
Three years back when I met him, he was in dire straits - penniless and worn out. Without any regular income other than a squeezed out dwindling pension, a long post retirement life was proving too burdensome for him. "if you are not a personally rich person otherwise, and retire from a bank, you should better prepare to die within ten years. Otherwise you will rot", he told me then.
He was right. His beautiful wife who once accompanied him for branch inaugurations and other functions during their heydays is now staring like a corpse at her dead husband's body to be taken to a crematorium, cuddled in the corner of a 10 by 10 feet room. Here ends a hectic banking career spanning four decades of tension, stress and running around.
it is a shame on the Indian Banks Association that the bankers basic pension has not been revised since its introduction long back unlike other government staff. Retired bankers have become a pain on the arse for the government and a bad omen even for the common man, an unwanted stuff staring at poverty and deprivation.
Alas, in a nation which preaches respect and love for the elderly, these helpless souls have knocked at every door for help, in vain. It is high time the Government which preaches "Vasudeva Kutumbakam', opens its eyes and see the plight of their own elderly people and take necessary action to provide necessary relief.
ॐ शांति शांति
A R Chandrasekaran
Rtd. AGM (SBI)
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