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March Closing Pressure: Odisha Gramya Bank’s 'Arbitrary' Sunday Work Order Angers Employees
Odisha Gramya Bank orders staff to work on Sunday and Eid intensifying March closing pressure on rural bankers.
Author: Saurav Kumar
Published: March 29, 2025
In a shocking move, Odisha Gramya Bank has issued a directive dated March 5, 2025 requiring employees to work on Sunday, March 30, 2025. The order comes amidst the mounting ‘March Closing Work Pressure’ across Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), sparking discontent among the staff.
Arbitrary Directive Draws Criticism
The bank's management has instructed employees to work on Sunday to complete annual closing activities. This mandate has been widely criticised by employees, who view it as an arbitrary imposition.
The directive also designates the national holiday of Eid-ul-Fitr as a working day. Notably, Uttarakhand Gramin Bank has also declared Eid-ul-Fitr a working day, further fuelling concerns over the disregard for employees’ rights and religious holidays.
An official communication from the bank states, “30.03.2025 is a full working day, and the annual closing of books of accounts will be handled by the systems on 01.04.2025. However, all closing statements will reflect data as of 31.03.2025.”
Expressing frustration over the directive, an employee told Kanal, “Odisha Gramya Bank has unilaterally ordered branches to remain open on Sunday, March 30, 2025, and mandated full attendance for all staff to prepare closing-related reports, which are largely system-driven tasks.”
This is not the first time the bank has faced backlash for imposing additional workdays. A few months ago, the management had ordered employees to work on January 26, 2025, a national holiday. The directive was later withdrawn following widespread discontent.
March Closing Crisis
The month of March has become increasingly stressful for employees of Regional Rural Banks as they face relentless pressure to meet financial targets and finalize balance sheets. Bank managements across multiple RRBs have been pushing employees to achieve objectives related to social security schemes, 100% Non-Performing Asset (NPA) recovery, and the cross-selling of insurance products.
At Sarva Haryana Gramin Bank, employees were recently instructed not to take any leave during the March closing period, further highlighting the intense pressure on rural bankers. The growing workload and stringent directives reflect a broader crisis unfolding across India’s rural banking sector.