Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, Nov 8: In a significant move aimed at improving rural banking accessibility, union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has directed that only local language speakers be appointed as employees in banks, responding to a formal appeal made by Udupi–Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary.

For years, residents in states such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh have voiced concern over the recruitment of non-local language speakers — particularly those fluent only in Hindi or other northern languages — to branches of nationalised banks in the South. Locals argued that the practice created communication barriers and inconvenienced customers in day-to-day transactions.

Raising the issue with the Centre, MP Kota Srinivas Poojary had written detailed letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and the governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In his correspondence, he urged that bank staff be recruited from among native language speakers to ensure seamless service delivery, particularly in villages and semi-urban regions.

“Banking should be easily accessible to ordinary people,” Poojary wrote. “When employees do not understand the local language, customers in rural areas face serious difficulties in conducting even simple financial transactions. Hence, it is essential that banks appoint local language speakers,” he added.

Taking cognisance of the issue, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has now issued a directive to banks instructing them to prioritise local language speakers in recruitment drives.

Welcoming the decision, MP Kota Srinivas Poojary expressed gratitude to the union minister, stating that her prompt response would “greatly benefit rural communities by ensuring smoother communication and more efficient banking services.”

The move is expected to strengthen the connection between banks and local customers, bringing much-needed relief to people in rural and remote areas across southern India.