Dharwad: The staff of Karnataka Vikas Grameen Bank (KVGB) was stopped from entering their branch at Nigadi village in the taluk on Wednesday by farmers who staged a protest, opposing unavailability of cash they required for agricultural activities.
Staff was obstructed from opening the bank and blamed for not giving the cash required. They had to wait outside till 1:30 pm, and later, were allowed to enter the bank to do some work related to passbooks.
“We have to harvest sugarcane but we do not have money to pay the labourers. Money we had earlier has been deposited in our bank accounts, and the staff is giving only Rs 2000 per head, that too twice in a week. This amount is not at all sufficient,” farmer Ashok Arer said.
Farmers from Ambalikoppa stated that money was required for agriculture and even more due to wedding season. “KVGB is giving only Rs 2,000, while other banks are giving more. KVGB did not give money on Tuesday, and now they are saying that money would not be given on Thursday as well,” they lamented.
On enquiry the KVGB staff expressed helplessness, and stated that the bank was getting less cash after demonetisation of higher value notes.
Bank locked
For the same issue, villagers had locked a KVGB branch at Ingalagi in Kundgol taluk on Tuesday and the situation continued on Wednesday also.
