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And now, rural banks to strike work, on March 26, 27

Two employee associations of Regional Rural Banks today called for a nationwide strike on March 26-27 in support for a wage hike.

The All-India Gramin Bank Workers' Organisation and All-India Gramin Officers' Organisation which together represent 70,000 employees and officers working in 196 RRBs having a network of 14,581 branches demanded implementation of sixth and seventh bipartite wage revision settlements.

The associations pointed out that there has been no wage revision since the last 12 years in spite of 184 members of Parliament pledging their support.

They said the National Industrial Tribunal had favoured their demands but the bureaucracy is reluctant to implement because of its ''arrogant, irresponsible, unconstitutional and biased attitude''.

The National Rural Bank of India should be formed by merging all the 196 RRBs in the larger interest of rural economy of the country, it added.

The associations said the RRBs are in a good financial condition with Rs 3.03 billion profits against Rs 8 billion loss last year.

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