Tripura Gramin Bank Staff Allege Compliance Breaches, Unethical Pressure, Warn of Protest

Image: Joint Action Forum’s letter to TGB Chairman alleging procedural breaches, rising workload and discriminatory practices.

“The target numbers are not even close to completion, yet the pressure is daily and relentless. Managers are insulted in front of junior staff. Respect between ranks is breaking down. There’s no motivation left—only fear.” said the source.

The source further added, “We have thousands of KYC accounts pending, but the network is always slow or down. Still, they expect us to meet targets. It’s like they don’t care about the ground realities.” 

Shift from Core Banking to Sales
The letter alleges that branches are under rising pressure to sell third-party products, particularly insurance, at the cost of core banking functions. The unions warn that this environment could lead to mis-selling, but accountability for such outcomes, they claim, is placed entirely on frontline staff.

The source added, “Through PNB tie-ups, we have endless targets for insurance and other third-party products. There are prizes and gifts for those who hit targets, which shifts focus away from core banking. Long-term, this will hurt both staff and customers.”

Virtual Meetings Without Support
Regular WebEx meetings are reportedly conducted without ensuring adequate connectivity at branch level. Employees unable to attend due to technical constraints have allegedly been asked to submit written explanations and, in some cases, faced adverse performance reporting.

Another source told to Kanal, “There are one or two meetings every day, sometimes lasting hours on top of branch work. Many are scheduled without notice. This eats into customer service and our ability to complete targets.”

Selective Rule Enforcement and Unequal Scrutiny
The unions state that sponsor bank circulars are strictly enforced when imposing operational demands, but often disregarded when they address staff welfare or technology upgrades. The letter further alleges that officers deputed from the sponsor bank, particularly those at Chief Manager rank, are not evaluated under the same performance standards as other staff.

• Strict adherence to credit and operational protocols.
• Equal performance evaluation standards for all officers, including deputed personnel.
• Infrastructure upgrades to support mandated operations.
• Engagement with unions on both operational and HR matters.

The letter warns that if the current conditions persist, staff may adopt peaceful protest measures, including refusal to follow verbal orders that contradict official guidelines and non-participation in virtual meetings.

An anonymous employee told Kanal, “We want repatriation. Deputed officers from PNB should be regional heads or in equivalent roles, but their performance must also be reviewed. Right now, they face less scrutiny while local officers bear the brunt of the pressure.”

Over the past few years, repeated reports from all the banks including Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Public Sector Banks (PSBs) across the country have highlighted the toll of unchecked workload and target-driven culture on employees’ health and safety. In several cases, staff have spoken of extended working hours without breaks, mounting sales targets unrelated to core banking, and constant fear of adverse reporting for non-achievement. There are cases where officers collapsed in the office due to unrelenting work pressure while in another instances, where employees in banking sector died by suicide, with colleagues attributing the tragedy to sustained pressure and public humiliation over targets. Such incidents, unions have warned, are not isolated, they point to a systemic pattern in which excessive workload, lack of manpower, and unrealistic expectations are creating dangerous levels of mental stress among banking staff.

The employees’ unions have urged immediate action, stating that without corrective measures, operational risks will grow and staff morale will continue to decline.