Shillong, July 25: The Meghalaya Rural Bank Officers’ Association (MRBOA) has sent a petition to Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma asking him to take up with all concerned authorities and to impress upon the Union Ministry of Finance to re-incorporate the essential qualification of proficiency in the local language into its original form in as far as the appointment of officers and staff in the Meghalaya Rural Bank is concerned.

MRBOA president, Reginald Lyngdoh and general secretary, Michael L’Chyne while drawing the Chief Minister’s attention, said that since the inception of the Regional Rural Banks, under the Regional Rural Bank Act, 1976, enacted by the Indian Parliament, besides other Essential Qualifications, ‘proficiency in the local language’ of the State, in which the Regional Rural Bank operates, is a must; without any over-riding sub-clause(s), contained in the Appointment Rules, for almost over 40 years now.

“The authorities that be, at the time of framing these Rules, had wisely chosen to incorporate this language criteria, for the fact that Regional Rural Banks are regional and typical to the State/Region that they are mandated to operate; as these Banks are targeted to render services, especially to the poor, the underprivileged, illiterate and less educated masses of the particular State/Region, besides their other clients. Language is always a bridge to usher in developments; and not knowing the language, would create a Babel-like situation, that would put everything in to confusion,” the MRBOA told Conrad.

The Association also said that Meghalaya Rural Bank has developed into one of the most customer friendly Banks; second only to the Sponsor Bank, the State Bank Of India, in terms of its coverage in the State in matter of the branches it has opened in many unbanked and most difficult areas of the State; bringing banking solutions to many farmers, small and medium traders and entrepreneurs, also always being in the fore-front in the implementation of the diverse State and Central Government Schemes, since its inception in the year 1981.

“This is enabled by the dedicated work force of selfless local officers and staff, which includes the indigenous tribes and domiciled non tribal, who are conversant in the local language. Thus many of our people in the villages and towns of the State were immensely benefitted and through our dedication, their livelihood has vastly improved. However, with the coming in to dispensation of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi at the Centre, in which you are also part of the Alliance, the ‘language clause’ was over diluted by the Ministry Of Finance (Department Of Financial Services), New Delhi,” the MRBOA said.

The MRBOA also said that the over dilution of the ‘language proficiency clause’ is incoherent with the objective of the establishment of Regional Rural Banks in the Country.

“It is expected that to be proficient, one has to ‘read the language up to Standard-VIII or above in Boards of Education or School recognized by the government. If the Authority that be, envisages that for a person speaking the local language to be proficient, one should have read the language for a minimum of 10 years, i.e 2 years for Pre-School and 8 years Class-I to VIII. On what basis shall a non-local language speaking person be proficient in the local language within a period of 6 months? This is next to the impossible, and is an absurd idea of one’s acquiring proficiency in any language,” Lyngdoh and Chyne said in the petition.

They also said that this leniency in the implementation of the local language clause, would open a food gate for non-resident candidates to intrude into the job opportunity for local candidates, both tribals and non-tribals.

“As such, vast majority of our educated youth of the State, are unemployed. Meghalaya Rural Bank is a bank, wherein the Meghalaya government has 15 per cent stake. Therefore, all of us expect that with the establishment of this Bank, primarily, it should cater to the employment opportunity for our educated youth and preference should be given to them. The fact remains that our youth shall not be employable in any government undertaking of any other states of our country. Thus, over dilution of one of the most essential criteria of qualification for selection, is uncalled for and is viewed by us with ill-motive,” they said.

Learning that the Sponsor Bank Authority, the State Bank Of India, Corporate Centre: Mumbai, had directed the Meghalaya Rural Bank management to go ahead with the appointment, within July to issue appointment letters to all selected candidates, about 80 per cent of whom are not proficient in the local language; even though the matter is yet to be finally resolved, which shows its bulldozing and undesirable nature, even though its stake is only 35%.

The MRBOA urged Conrad to take up the matter once again with all concerned authorities, to bring the stalemate to its logical conclusion; and till such time, to advise the Sponsor Bank (the State Bank Of India) to desist from any big-brother attitude, ignoring the fact that Meghalaya Government is also a co-owner of the Meghalaya Rural Bank, as statutorily mandated by the Act of Parliament.

The MRBOA also urged the Chief Minister to impress upon the concerned authorities at the Ministry of Finance to re-incorporate the essential qualification of ‘proficiency in the local language’, in to its original form; doing away with other revised overriding sub-clauses in the said Appointment Rules.