Government denies rumors of five-day work weeks for public sector banks

Rumors recently spread that the Union Finance Ministry declared all Saturdays as permanent weekly holidays for public sector banks like the State Bank of India, but the Press Information Bureau confirmed this information is completely false and no such order exists. Earlier, bank employee unions had announced a three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to 30 to push for various demands including a five-day work week, better pension benefits, filling empty posts, and making temporary staff permanent. To prevent public inconvenience, banks operated on Sunday, September 27, while institutions also advised customers to use ATMs, internet banking, and UPI for cash needs. However, the proposed strike was called off after late-night talks between Indian Banks' Association representatives and the United Forum of Bank Unions led to an amicable agreement. Both sides agreed to set up a high-level committee to examine ways to introduce Saturday holidays without harming public service, alongside discussing performance-linked incentive scheme changes.

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False social media rumors often spread quickly regarding major public services like banking and holidays, leading official fact-checking bodies to issue clarifications. Understanding the difference between official government announcements and unverified online forwards helps customers avoid unnecessary panic over service disruptions.