AIRRBEA Bihar’s First Post-Amalgamation Conference Strengthens Demand for National Rural Bank of India

Image: Participants and Guests of General Conference on the event dias 

High-Profile Participation
The conference saw participation from senior Bihar Gramin Bank officials, including General Manager (Personnel) Sanjoy Sinha, General Manager (Credit) Sanjay Srivastava, Regional Manager (Arrah) Rajesh Bharti, and Chief Manager (Camp Office Muzaffarpur) Ravimohana.

Chain Singh Rawat, National President of the National Federation of Regional Rural Bank Officers (NFRRBO), also attended the assembly, lending national significance to the Bihar-based gathering.

Recognising Rural Bankers and Demand of NRBI

Speaking at the event, former Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey highlighted the pivotal role of RRBs in India’s economic framework, especially in driving rural development and financial inclusion. He remarked, “Gramin Bankers have shouldered the formidable responsibility of empowering rural India and strengthening its financial base. This makes RRBs among the most capable and trusted financial institutions in the country.”

Image: Former Union Minister Ashwini Choubey addressing the General Conference of BGBOA and BGBRA

Stressing the need for a National Rural Bank of India (NRBI), he added, “The Government of India’s recent implementation of the ‘One State, One RRB’ policy underscores the importance of strengthening RRBs. In this context, the time has come for us to collectively pursue the establishment of a National Rural Bank that can best serve the national interest.”

He also lauded the overwhelming participation at the event, commending the young leadership of Ranveer Anand, General Secretary of the Bihar Gramin Bank Officers’ Association. The former Union Minister noted that under Anand’s stewardship, the association had successfully organised a significant and unifying conference, setting a strong example of organisational strength and collective resolve for the future of RRBs.

Image: Former Union Minister Ashwini Choubey (Right) with Ranveer Anand, BRBGOA General Secretary

 

AIRRBEA’s Call for Stronger Organisational Unity
AIRRBEA Secretary General Venkateshwar Reddy, in his address, underlined the historic and continuing importance of RRBs. He stated, “Gramin Banks were established at a time when commercial banks could not adequately serve rural India, marking the beginning of true social banking. The process of amalgamation has enhanced their efficiency, and the creation of a National Rural Bank of India (NRBI) would further ensure their seamless and stronger existence.”

Image: AIRRBEA Secretary General, S. Venkateshwar Reddy while addressing the General Conference

Reflecting on the event itself, Mr. Reddy added, “This General Conference, hosted by the Bihar Gramin Bank Officers and Retirees Association, is a timely and commendable step. It reinforces state-level organisational strength and collective unity, both of which are essential to achieving our common goals.”

 

Leadership Restructuring
In a major organisational development, the general conference elected new leadership through consensus, marking what organisers termed a ‘historic transformation’ of the association’s structure.

Image: Newly elected office bearers of BGBOA

Newly elected office bearers of officers association include:

• President- Pawan Kumar
• General Secretary- Ranveer Anand
• Treasurer- Baban Singh

Bihar Gramin Bank Retirees Association office bearers are as follows: 

• President- Ramanuj Sinha
• General Secretary- Uday Narayan Sharma

Structural Reforms Introduced

Recognising the expanded scope of Bihar Gramin Bank’s operations, the meeting introduced significant constitutional changes to improve organisational efficiency. The reforms include creation of zonal positions to enhance organisational reach aiming at the bank's extensive network.

New zonal structure:

• South Zone: Mintu Kumar (President), Aditya Ranjan (Secretary)
• North Zone: Ashish Kumar (President), Firdaus Alam (Secretary)

Women's Committee Formation

In a progressive move, the meeting established a dedicated Women's Committee to enhance gender representation within the organisation. Medha Jha was appointed as President and Shikha Singh as General Secretary of the newly-formed committee.

Image: Women delegates addressing the participants of conference

Organisational Strength

The massive turnout of banking professionals from across Bihar reflected the association’s deep grassroots reach and the strong commitment of RRB employees to organised representation. With over 1,000 participants, the conference marked a rare feat for a state-level event, highlighting the association’s exceptional organisational strength and unity.

Image: The participants of General Conference

Future Agenda

Newly elected General Secretary Ranveer Anand outlined the association's commitment to strengthening organisational capacity and ensuring that every Bihar Gramin Bank employee feels secure and supported through AIRRBEA membership.

The leadership emphasised plans to address various employee concerns while contributing to the bank's mission of rural financial inclusion and development.

The conference concluded with renewed commitments from all participants to work collectively for the advancement of rural banking in Bihar and the welfare of banking professionals serving rural communities.