SBI reported 4,192 frauds involving Rs 7,036 cr in 2021-22, reveals RTI query

 

 

 

The State Bank of India (SBI), in reply to an application under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, has revealed that total 4,192 frauds took place in 2021-22. These frauds involved a whopping amount of Rs 7,036 crore.

In response to city-based RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar, the SBI stated that out of total 4,192 frauds reported in 2021-22, total 121 frauds involved the bank’s staff. The collective amount involved in these cases in which the bank’s staff was involved, was Rs 226 crore. Interestingly, during the same period (2021-22), SBI transferred an amount of Rs 893.35 crore to Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEAF) accounts. This amount was in the category of ‘unclaimed deposits’ in 12,90,836 accounts, reveals the reply given by Chief Public Information Officer and Deputy General Manager of SBI, to Kolarkar’s RTI application.

During the same period, the SBI sanctioned loans under Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) scheme to the tune of Rs 28,511.62 crore to 9,86,338 applicants. Out of these applicants, total 77,532 MUDRA loan accounts turned non-performing assets (NPA). These NPA accounts involve an amount of Rs 814.48 crore.

In his application, Kolarkar also asked about the employees ‘separated’ from the bank. As per the data made available in response to his application, total 73,453 employees ‘separated’ from the SBI in five years since 2017-18. These include the highest 47,121 who superannuated, followed by 10,804 who resigned, 9,720 who opted for voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), 4,244 who died, 1,214 who were terminated/ removed, and 350 who vacated the positions voluntarily.

The highest number of superannuations (11,647) were reported in the year 2018-19. In VRS category of separation, the highest were reported in 2017-18. Of 4,244 employees who died in past five years, the highest 1,247 deaths were reported in 2021-22. Out of the total number of employees terminated/ removed from service, the highest 440 were reported in 2021-22. Among resignations, the highest (2,450) were reported in 2019-20. Among those who voluntarily vacated their positions, the highest were reported in 2019-20, and there was not a single voluntary vacation in 2017-18.

The year-wise number of employees terminated/ removed from service is as follows: 2017-18 -- 229, 2018-19 -- 206, 2019-20 -- 161, 2020-21 -- 178, and 2021-22 -- 440. However, it was not clear from the SBI’s response to Kolarkar’s application whether these employees were sacked in connection with the involvement in frauds or other reasons.

Given number of vacancies, SBI has recently issued advertisement to fill up vacancies of Junior Associates (Customer Support and Sales). The advertisement has been issued for 5,926 regular vacancies and 478 backlog vacancies in various categories. These vacancies are in various States and Union Territories.