The Centre on Wednesday debunked a fake gazette that claimed to outline a scheme for merging public sector banks into amalgamated entities. According to reports from PIBFactCheck, the document was circulating on social media platforms and was not issued by the official Finance Ministry handle. The government emphasized that users should always verify such information through official and credible sources before believing or sharing it. The Centre's fact-checking initiative specifically noted that 'The document is fake and has NOT been issued by @FinMinIndia (official Finance Ministry of India handle)'.
The erroneous gazette reportedly stated that Indian Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, and Central Bank of India would be subject to acquisition by State Bank of India and would be renamed as SBI Group. Similarly, Union Bank of India, Bank of India, and Punjab & Sind Bank were claimed to be acquired by Punjab National Bank and given the same name. Additionally, Canara Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, and UCO Bank were reportedly set to be amalgamated and transferred to Bank of Baroda with the same name.
The government's fact-checking initiative encouraged users to report suspicious claims allegedly issued by the Indian government. As reported by PIBFactCheck, users can report such claims through the official PIBFactCheck handle on social media, or via mobile number +91 8799711259 and email factcheck@pib.gov.in. The government's swift response demonstrates its commitment to preventing misinformation about government policies and financial sector developments.
