WC to take action against men who misbehave with women agents in POs

Barrackpore, Apr 16 (UNI) West Bengal Women's Commission is determined to take appropriate action against erring officials who misbehave with female agents in post offices, WBWC Vice-Chairperson Rama Das said here today.

Addressing a gathering of Small Savings women agents, observing Women's Savings Day, organised by the National Savings Institute and the Directorate of Small Savings, Mrs Das expressed the commission's concern over torture and rape on women and foeticide in our society.

''It is a matter of concern, if women agents or customers must face misbehaviour in the post offices,'' she said.

Mrs Das advised to send at least a written complaint to the Commission's Chairperson to take up the matter seriously.

Earlier, West Bengal Self Help Group and state Self Employment Minister Rakha Goswami had also observed, ''The women members of the Self Helf Groups, who usually come from the poor strata of the society, are not properly treated by the men, as she received several complaints.'' Both Mrs Das and Mrs Goswami reminded the erring postal and bank men, that every customer, male or female, have their dignity and they have no right to misbehave with any of the customers.

They should remember that the agents or customers were the source of their earning since a major part of the revenue is being accumulated at the state exchequer through them.

Mrs Goswami also called upon the women agents of small savings in the state to work with Self Help Groups at the grassroot level while she said that at least five lakh SHGs, involving at least 50 lakh people remained active in West Bengal which is likely to be double by 2010.

The regional Director of the National Savings Institute A Biswas said that at least 7,500 women agents have been working in the state for small savings, while nearly Rs 975 crore were accumulated through different small savings schemes during 2005-06 from West Bengal which achieved the top position in the country.

UNI