"The Role and Responsibilities of Finance Minister"

Image Source: OneIndia

Union Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman took to Twitter on Thursday to express her concern over a video of an elderly woman walking miles to withdraw her pension. The video, posted by ANI, shows Surya Harijan, a senior citizen from the Jharigaon district of Odisha, walking barefoot and using a broken chair for support.

The video also shows the SBI manager aware of her broken finger, which makes it difficult for her to withdraw money. In response, Sitharaman retweeted the video and urged the bank and the Department of Financial Services to take notice and act humanely, asking for a ‘Bank Mitra’.

The State Bank of India responded to Sitharaman’s tweet, stating that they were aware of the situation and that Harijan’s pension would be delivered to her doorstep next month onwards. They also mentioned that a wheelchair would be made available to her soon.

However, the bank explained that Harijan’s ordeal was due to her fingerprints not matching at the CSP point located in her village every month. Sitharaman’s tweet highlights the importance of empathy and consideration toward elderly citizens who may face difficulty accessing their pensions or other financial services.

This incident serves as a reminder for banks and financial institutions to provide adequate support and assistance to elderly citizens, especially those with disabilities or health issues.

–Re-reported from the story originally published in OneIndia