Tried opening a simple current account with SBI Baheri for my startup.
Guess what?
15 days. 8+ visits. Regional Manager escalation. Yet no account.
The branch manager actually said,
"I’m not responsible for everyone’s work. Go to some other branch – they have ‘award-winning staff’ too."
Is this the Ease of Doing Business we talk about?
I wasn’t asking for a loan.
No favours.
Just a current account with proper documents.
Still — nothing. Just pure bureaucratic arrogance and zero accountability.
Even after reaching out to the Regional Manager in Darbhanga, the response was silence or soft defence of the branch manager.
We talk about making Bihar a startup hub. But on the ground, even starting is made painfully hard.
Not because of market conditions — but because of the system’s attitude towards entrepreneurs.
To every founder trying to build in Bihar: I see you. I feel your frustration. You’re not alone.
It's time we start calling this out openly. “Digital India”, “Startup India”, “Banking Inclusion” — all of it means nothing if gatekeepers are more interested in power trips than progress.
I’m still going to build.
But not because the system supports me — in spite of it.
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