Odisha Grameen Bank CSAs Allege Target Pressure, Overwork, and Daily Harassment Over PMSBY Enrollments

There are around 1,304 CSAs posted across 980 branches of Odisha Grameen Bank. Employees allege that this growing emphasis on social security targets is affecting core customer service functions such as cash transactions, KYC updates, and passbook printing — which form the fundamental duties of CSAs.

Operational Discrepancies Intensify CSA Burden

CSAs also allege systemic operational irregularities that make their work more difficult and insecure:

1. Forced Use of Manager’s Email IDs: CSAs without official email access are compelled to send scanned documents using officers’ credentials, raising accountability and data security concerns.
2. Excessive Cash Counter Duties: They manage receiving, paying, and printing passbooks simultaneously, often exceeding their transaction limits while officers only verify signatures.
3. Misuse of Officer Credentials for Enrollments: Although Jan Suraksha portal access is limited to officers, CSAs are pressured to use branch managers’ login IDs to meet enrolment targets.
4. Target Harassment Through Messaging Groups: CSAs report daily pressure and intimidation through WhatsApp groups, being forced to update target progress multiple times a day.

Targets First, Service Later
Speaking to Kanal on condition of anonymity, a CSA from western Odisha said,“The entire focus has shifted to PMSBY targets. We are instructed to prioritise enrollments even on closing days, making it difficult to manage our core responsibilities like customer transactions, KYC updates, and passbook printing — the work we were originally meant to do.”

He further stated, “Although the Branch Manager is our immediate reporting authority, we are now directly answerable to the Regional Office for social security scheme targets. This dual reporting structure only adds to the pressure and confusion.”

Another CSA shared, “The instructions are intimidating. We are made to feel responsible if targets aren’t met, regardless of footfall or customer response. Staying late in the office has become routine, and sometimes we skip breaks to meet the numbers. This isn’t how rural banking should function.”

Staff Shortage and Workload Distribution
Many CSAs, often the first point of contact in rural branches, find themselves overburdened due staff shortage and improper workload distribution.

A disgruntled CSA told Kanal, “There’s a clear mismatch in workload distribution. In some branches, there’s only one clerk handling all entry-level work, while two officers are posted there. Whenever entry-related tasks come up, that single clerk has to manage everything alone — it’s staff shortage and mismanagement at its worst.”

As India’s rural banking network expands its financial inclusion goals, the challenge before Regional Rural Banks like Odisha Grameen Bank lies in finding balance — achieving social security outreach without overburdening frontline staff or compromising service quality.