Bharatpur, Rajasthan: No smoking please, we’re bankers
Sangeeta Singh -
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 6:53 PM
When the branch manager of a rural bank in the Bayana tehsil in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan organised a meeting of the "kisaan club", a local group, to bring bankers and farmers together to discuss issues related to agriculture, most people who landed up showed little respect for the bankers. "I had called senior officials from banks and it was a serious meeting but these people sat with their legs up, talked loudly amongst themselves and smoked bidis all through," says the branch manager. When he reasoned with them, he adds, the leader of the group apologised to the bankers. "Then he said that he would take guarantee on behalf of the group that nobody will smoke in front of bankers since they are absolutely indispensable for farmers. Since then their attitudes have changed considerably."