This story is from September 24, 2020

Surat: Bankers cycle to work for green benefits

In a novel initiative to promote health and green environment, Surat-based Varachha Co-operative Bank Ltd (VCB) has started giving its employees monetary incentives if they cycle to work daily.
Surat: Bankers cycle to work for green benefits
VCB's general manager Vitthal Dhanani (3rd from L) with the other employees ride their cycles to work
SURAT: In a novel initiative to promote health and green environment, Surat-based Varachha Co-operative Bank Ltd (VCB) has started giving its employees monetary incentives if they cycle to work daily.
“We have started giving monetary incentives of Rs 500 per month from this month to employees who cycle to our bank offices. We asked employees staying within 4-5 km away from the office to use cycles to commute and are happy that 15 have already joined the 'cycle to work campaign'.
Many more are joining in the coming days,” chairman, Varachha Co-operative Bank Ltd, Kanji Bhalala told TOI.
“The idea is to promote the habit of exercising among employees by way of cycling to work. This would help them remain fit and healthy and the other benefit is to help the environment too by less use of fuel-based vehicles and less pollution. We want to promote it in a big way and appeal to the public to use cycle as well in their routine life,” Bhalala added.
“Since the time this campaign was launched in our bank, I have been cycling 4 km daily from home to office in Bombay Market and takes me around 25 minutes to reach in the morning. It keeps me fit, the environment healthy and plus I get money too,” Jayesh Parsana, an employee, told TOI.
“I cycle to work from Nanpura for the last 20 days. I had always been wanting to cycle for health reasons, but now with the incentive it’s a win-win as I also save about Rs 20 every day on commuting,'' says Dhaval Rana, 30, a peon at VCB.
In fact, VCB's general manager Vitthal Dhanani also cycles to work on every Saturday. “I cycle to the office every Saturday to encourage employees to use this green mode of transport. I also appeal to people to use cycles in their daily life,” Dhanani said.
VCB, founded in 1995, has over 350 employees in its various bank branches including in Ankleshwar, Navsari and Ahmedabad among other cities who serve the bank’s 4.5 lakh customer base.
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About the Author
Vijaysinh Parmar

Vijaysinh Parmar is principal correspondent at The Times of India, Rajkot, and reports on the Saurashtra and Kutch regions. Apart from regular assignments in Rajkot, he travels extensively in rural area to report on the "other Gujarat". He reported on the drinking water crisis in interiors of the state in 2008, forcing the government to swing into action. He has also reported on the practice of untouchability still prevalent in parts of Gujarat.

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