SBT-SBI merger will affect services, employment opportunities:

VS Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 6 (PTI) CPI(M) veteran V SAchuthanandan today appealed to the Centre to stop theproposed merger of the State Bank of Travancore with bankingbehemoth State Bank of India. Taking into account "views and wishes" of the peopleof Kerala and the resolution adopted by the state assembly,the Union government must give up the merger plans and allowSBT to grow independently, he said at the inauguration of a’Peoples Assembly’, comprising customers, employees andshareholders under the auspices of ‘Save SBT Forum’ here. The Centre should rescind moves to merge SBT with SBI,the former chief minister said. Achuthanandan said SBT had played a pioneering role inthe state’s development in every sphere of productive activitylike agriculture, small industry, trade and business and itsrole was commendable. "Mergers will lead to closure of branches thuscurtailing services to the common people and loss ofemployment opportunities," he said. KPCC president V M Sudheeran and Save SBT Forumchairman Panniyan Ravindran, among others were present duringthe event. The assembly later adopted a resolution appealing tothe central government to scrap SBT-SBI merger in theinterests of all stakeholders and the resolution adopted bythe assembly. PTI UD APR KISKK