Public sector banks witness decline in staff strength despite branch expansion: Report
New Delhi: Most public sector banks (PSBs) in India have reported a steady decline in staff numbers over the last three financial years, even as they continued to expand their branch networks, Business Standard has reported.
According to the data cited in the report, banks such as Bank of India, Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda and Uco Bank saw a significant reduction in workforce. Bank of India’s staff strength dropped from 52,374 in FY23 to 50,564 in FY25. Canara Bank’s numbers fell from 84,978 in FY23 to 81,260 in FY25. Bank of Baroda saw a fall from 76,513 to 73,742, while Uco Bank’s count went from 21,698 to 21,049 during the same period.
The State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest PSB, saw a marginal recovery in FY25, with employee numbers rising to 236,226 after a drop in FY24. Punjab National Bank (PNB) recorded a slight increase in FY24 but saw a minor dip again in FY25, settling at 102,316 employees.
Despite the shrinking workforce, the number of bank branches grew in FY25 across these banks.
Several bank unions have expressed concern over the declining staff numbers, warning that it is affecting customer service and placing an undue burden on existing employees. Earlier this year, bank employees in several cities staged protests to highlight the issue.
“There are many branches where only two people are working. In extreme cases, some branches are operating with just three employees. This needs urgent attention,” a senior bank official told Business Standard.
Meanwhile, the Union finance ministry has urged state and union territory administrations to ensure safety and uninterrupted service at bank branches. The advisory came in response to multiple reports of verbal and physical abuse faced by bank staff at the workplace.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
