Sitharaman asks SBI to ‘act humanely’; tags video of an old barefoot woman going to collect pension

As per reports, the woman is forced to physically collect her pension as her thumbprint doesn't match her records

April 21, 2023

FM Sitharaman reacts as an elderly woman forced to walk barefoot in scorching heat to collect pension

On Thursday Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asked the State Bank of India (SBI), to act humanely, after tagging a video on her Twitter handle of an old village woman, walking barefoot in scorching heat with the help of a broken chair, to collect her pension from the nearest branch.

The woman in the video, identified as Surya Harijan, lives in Odisha’s Nabrangpur district and stays with her younger son, who grazes other people’s cattle. Her elder son is a migrant laborer in another state. The family lives in a hut and doesn’t own any land, as per reports.

The incident took place on April 17.

Sitharaman tweeted while sharing the video, “Can see the manager of SBI responding but yet wish Department of Financial Services (DFS) and the SBI to take cognizance of this and act humanely. Are they no bank Mitra?”

Can see the manager of the @TheOfficialSBI responding but yet wish @DFS_India and @TheOfficialSBI take cognisance of this and act humanely. Are they no bank Mitra? @FinMinIndia https://t.co/a9MdVizHim

— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) April 20, 2023

The SBI responded to Sitharaman’s tweet and said the woman’s pension will be delivered to her doorstep from next month onwards. It added that she would also be given a wheelchair.

As per reports, the woman is forced to physically collect her pension as her thumbprint doesn’t match her records.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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