Banks will remain open in the first week of September, the government announced on Friday, dismissing rumours that operations were likely to be affected.
A statement issued by the Finance Ministry said that banking activity will remain unimpeded next week, with holidays only on September 2, a Sunday, and the second Saturday, September 8.
“It has come to notice that a rumour is circulating in several sections of social media that banks will be closed for six days in the first week of September, causing undue panic among the general public,” said the statement.
The ministry said that September 3, the festival of Janmashtami, is not a holiday in banks across the country. Only those banks that are in states where a holiday is declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, will be closed.
“ATMs in all states will be fully functional,” it said, adding that there will be no impact on online banking transactions.
National Organisation of Bank Workers Vice President Ashwani Rana also said banks will largely remain open next week. “The message going around in social media that banks will be closed for six days in the first week of September due to holidays and bank strike is not correct,” IANS quoted him as saying.
“It’s only the Reserve Bank of India employees who are going on mass casual leave on September 4-5 for demands related to to Provident Fund and pension,” said Rana. “This will not have much impact on the day-to-day operations of the other public and private sector banks.”
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