KAMALPUR, Dec 26 (TIWN): Thousands of people, 9 Panchayats, one of the biggest markets of the state and a single branch of a bank to handle all the banking needs. Naturally, the scenario became very much claustrophobic and hard to manage. In this context, the inhabitants felt the urgent need of at least another bank branch. And without early setting up of another bank branch at Halhali, the problem related to banking would continue to intensify.

Halhali remained to be the centre of adjacent areas for almost all monetary needs and transactions. Uttar Halhali, Halhali, Durai Shibbari, Debichara, Mahabir gram panchayats and Apareshkar, Panboa, Nakful, and Shyamraichara village panchayats got related to and depended upon Halhali for their day to day activities. The importance of Halhali also became more relevant as it remained to be the biggest weekly market of eth district. Several thousand villagers and merchants had to depend on Halhali. And in this context, a branch of United Bank of India was set at Halhali almost a decade ago.

Now, the single branch had to deal with all sorts of monetary transactions of the people. MGNREGA wages of nine panchayats, salaries, pensions, business dealings and many other such activities of thousands of people got connected with the branch. The lack of staff made the work culture of the branch degraded. Moreover, the ATM facility of the branch also pondered to render yeoman’s service. In every month, the ATM counter got collapsed for almost a week or even more. Again, when the ATM counter turned operative, often it had no money. Hence the local people had to suffer much even after having ATM cards.