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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Austrian police detain suspect in case of rat poison found in baby food jars on supermarket shelves
Vienna (AP): Police in eastern Austria say a 39-year-old suspect has been arrested after rat poison turned up in some HiPP baby food jars on supermarket shelves in central Europe.
HiPP, which recalled some of its baby food jars in Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic after the case came to light last month, said in a statement Saturday it was “greatly relieved” by the arrest, and would provide further updates as verified details come in.
The Burgenland State Criminal Police Office, under the direction of prosecutors, said a probe was launched after poison turned up in a baby food jar purchased at a supermarket in the city of Eisenstadt on April 18.
It said the suspect was being questioned, and that no further details would be immediately provided. The Burgenland public prosecutor's office has announced an investigation into suspected “intentional endangerment of the public.”
The Austrian Press Agency reported that an expert report on the toxicity of the poison was pending. A total of five tampered baby food jars were seized before they could be consumed, APA reported.
Authorities said previously they believe the tampering occurred in 190-gram (6.7-ounce) jars of baby food made with carrots and potatoes for 5-month-olds that were sold from SPAR supermarkets in Austria.
HiPP responded by recalling all of its baby food jars sold at SPAR supermarkets — which include SPAR, EUROSPAR, INTERSPAR and Maximarkt stores — in Austria as a precaution. Vendors in Slovakia and the Czech Republic also removed all of the brand's baby jars from sale.
The company said the recall was not due to any product or quality defect on its part, and said the jars left its facility in “perfect condition.”
Police said a customer at the time of the discovery had reported that a jar appeared to have been tampered with, but no one had consumed the baby food.
