Large number of women standing in queue to open IPPB account in Post Office at General Post Office (GPO), Dr B R Ambedkar vedhi, in Bengaluru on Wednesday, 29th May 2024.
Credit: DH Photo/SK Dinesh
An otherwise silent General Post Office in the city is witnessing an unprecedented rush of women hurrying to open India Post Payment Bank accounts, anticipating a monthly deposit of Rs 8,500 into their accounts if the I.N.D.I.A. bloc comes to power at the Centre.
The elections are still in the process but women, largely from the minority communities sporting burqas, stood in long queues to open the account. Some of them believed that opening the IPPB account would ensure that they get Rs 8,500 per month.
A woman said she stood in the queue early in the morning. Another said everyone in her neighbourhood was saying that money would start coming from the day the account was opened, so she too came to open an account. Most of the women were from Shivajinagar, Chamarajpet and surrounding places.
Speaking to reporters, GOP Chief Post Master H M Manjesh said people have been coming to the office to open IPPB accounts in the belief that the Department of Post would credit Rs 2,000 or Rs 8,500 into their accounts. “Actually, it is a rumour. Somebody has spread this rumour. The department will not pay any amount to them. However, this account can be used for any type of online transaction or even Direct Benefit (Transfer) scheme,” Manjesh clarified.
He said that the department has already informed the customers about this. “We have displayed some posters also. Despite that, customers are requesting that we open IPPB accounts for them.” There was such a rush that more counters were opened outside the GPO building, under the open sky, he added.
According to sources in the department, this rush has been witnessed for the past three days. It is learnt that some Congress MLAs spread the rumours, believing which the women made a beeline for the GPO. The MLAs said that the women will start getting money after June 4 “when the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will come to power”.
The Congress has made a promise to launch the Mahalakshmi scheme under which Rs 8,500 will be directly credited into the account of women heads of families belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.
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