Tasavur Mushtaq
Srinagar
Thursday, November 17 morning was nostalgic for Muhammad Ali, a retired J&K Bank official. Memories of past flashed back when he read the bank’s notification to engage retired officials for some time to deal with the cash. Retired in 2002, Ali spends most of his time at home.
Having served bank for more than three decades, Ali says, this is an opportunity to relive the past. Without waiting, Ali dialed three of his fellow former colleagues and informed them about the same. Four friends of yore gave their families tough time in choosing clothes from their wardrobe of heydays. Finally they left for the corporate office of J&K Bank to register their names. The rest is the procedure.
When the rest of India is finding it difficult to grapple with the demonetization of twin currency notes, J&K is by and large in smooth phase of transition. The credit for managing the crisis as per experts and commoners goes to the lead bank- the J&K Bank. The bank is working overtime to deal with the ‘surprise decision’ termed as ‘surgical attack’.
“It is not that people in Kashmir are not panicked, but the fact is J&K Bank as always came to the rescue,” said Afaq Ahmad, a businessman in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk.
“It is heartening to see how staff of the bank despite working for long hours and under stress greets us and help us in depositing or exchanging money,” retired engineer, Abdul Hamid told Kashmir Life.
Umar Ahmad, Banking associate posted in one of the business units of the bank in outskirts of Srinagar leaves home in wee hours and is back only after 10 pm.
Umar says, “this is challenge for our organization and at the end of day we are serving our own people, that gives us solace.”
Sana, Relationship Executive, recruited in 2013 is busy and does not find time to take call even from his fiancée. Recently engaged, Sana finds it difficult to talk from 9 in the morning to 6 in the evening. She leaves office around 6:30 pm when her male colleagues are still working to tally the day’s business.
“I have told my family and even my fiancée not to call in the day. This time all energies should be channelized to have smooth transition. This is matter of pride for us that we are leading from the front,” she told Kashmir Life at her residence in Chadoora.
With the cancellation of three consecutive holidays November 12, 13 & 14 and working for longer durations, the bank staff is going extra mile, an effort duly acknowledged by JK Bank chairman and CEO Parvez Ahmad.
“I acknowledge and put on record my appreciations to you, all for your consistent and continuing extraordinary efforts for demonetizing the hard challenge of ‘demonetization’ and am sure you will take this endeavor successfully to its logical conclusion,” Ahmad wrote in his message to the staff.
To manage the show as per the convenience of the masses, the bank management deputed extra staff from controlling offices to the branches. Further now bank invited retired officials for the period of one month to pack the currency back. This decision to engage retired officials has injected new life in the post retirement of former cash experts of the bank. “Aaj fir sey jeenay ki tamana hai,” said Bashir Ahmad.
He further said, “This refreshed memories of my posting at Residency Road branch. Those were the best days. Having together tea, kabab, kanti in nearby restaurants.”
“Now I take around five tablets a day and have many more precautions to take,” he added.
Giving all the credit for smooth operations in state to his staff, Ahmad further writes in his message that “when the banks in the country better equipped on manpower and technology fronts are crippling under the big bang of demonetization, it is your tireless dedication of stretching your work schedule much beyond the extended business hours that created the difference and is giving me smiles and strong signals for our bright future.”
Lauding the staff for being committed, Ahmad adds, “When came the toughest challenge of demonetization to the Banking industry in its history; you have given me reasons to be ecstatic.”
