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Title: Reported indefinite hunger strike by employees of SBI Foreign Deptt. for redressal of their grievances.
SHRI AJOY CHAKRABORTY (BASIRHAT): Through you, I want to raise a very important issue in this august House.
The employees and officers of the Foreign Exchange Department of the State Bank of India have started an indefinite hunger strike in Kolkata protesting the decision of the management to shift the Foreign Exchange Department from Kolkata to Mumbai. Everybody knows and you also know that Kolkata was the Head Office of the State Bank of India earlier. Then the Government of India took a decision to shift the Headquarters from Kolkata to Mumbai. But it was decided that the Foreign Exchange Department will run from Kolkata to serve all parts of India and abroad. But subsequently, the management took a decision with an ulterior motive to shift the Foreign Exchange Department from Kolkata to Mumbai. As a result, the employees and the people have started an agitation throughout the country. Even the State Assembly of West Bengal unanimously took a decision not to shift the Foreign Exchange Department of the State Bank of India from Kolkata to[MSOffice90] Mumbai. Ultimately, they entered into an agreement. It was decided in the agreement, made in January 2000, that fifty per cent of the work will be done by the Forex Department of the Kolkata office of the SBI and the remaining fifty per cent will be done by the Forex Department of the Mumbai office of the SBI. In spite of that agreement, now the management, with an ulterior motive, has taken a decision to shift the remaining fifty per cent of the work also from Kolkata office to Mumbai office. Kolkata office is working very efficiently and is earning a lot of money. But in spite of that they have decided to shift that. As a result, the employees, officers and staff have started an indefinite hunger strike against this decision.
We support the demand of the employees and officers of the Forex Department of the SBI, Kolkata. We urge upon the Government of India to intervene in the matter so that the remaining fifty per cent of the work can be done by the Kolkata office of the SBI. The status quo should be maintained. Thank you.
MR. CHAIRMAN : Shri S. Mallikarjunaiah can associate with the issue raised by Shri M. Shivanna.