Dear Sir,

This is with reference to the news item headlined “Expats urged to carry RP card” (Gulf Times, July 11).
The news item says that if a resident of Qatar loses the Residency Permit (RP) card while returning from a trip abroad or does not carry it, s/he will be allowed to enter the country with a return visa issued directly at the port of entry without having to resort to the employer, and the RP card will be marked as lost in the immigration system. This is subject to the condition that the person concerned does not exceed the six-month period for which a resident is allowed to stay outside Qatar. 
But, airlines do not allow a resident of Qatar to board a flight to Doha if s/he does not produce the RP card at the port of embarkation. 
In light of the new announcement, could the airlines please clarify whether Qatar’s residents who lose their RP card will be allowed to board a flight to Doha if they produce proof of residency, such as a photocopy or a photograph of the RP card? 


P V K Moorthi
(e-mail address supplied)


Bank mergers are inevitable

Dear Sir,

The proposed merger of State Bank of India (SBI) with five of its associate banks, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, State Bank of Travancore, State Bank of Patiala, State Bank of Mysore and State Bank of Hyderabad besides Bharatiya Mahila Bank, has invited the wrath of unions in India’s banking sector. They had called for a strike yesterday and today (“Talks with Managements fail — Bank workers to strike work on July 12-13”, Gulf Times, July 10). But the strike call has now been deferred following a restraint order by the Delhi High Court.
As a person who is keenly interested in Indian banking, I am at a loss to understand as to why the workers’ representatives fail to understand the advantages this merger will bring to the country’s banking sector. 
It is high time for them to realise that bank mergers are quite inevitable in light of major universal banking norms such as Basel. They also need to consider impartially and in an unbiased manner the synergy of technical, human resources, capital consolidation, enhancing efficiency of operations, economy, cost reduction, maximising profits for the stakeholders besides other varied valid points. In fact, the managements of these five associate banks have given their nod for the merger only after an indepth study of its pros and cons.
The proposed merger is unprecedented in the Indian banking industry. The purpose behind this merger is to make State Bank of India a major financial organ of global standards. The associate five banks have around 45,000 employees with 6,700 branches, equipped with 9,000 ATMs. The merger will further strengthen State Bank of India’s existing infrastructure, operations, market penetration and standing both in India as well as overseas. 
The workers’ representatives, one hopes, will understand and appreciate the purpose behind this move and support steps being taken for the nation’s progress. We all expect wiser counsel to prevail and the merger will happen soon in the larger interest of the Indian banking sector and overall economy.

K Mahalingam
gurukrupakalyan7@yahoo.com