Calcutta, Feb 28 :    Calcutta, Feb 28:  The abolition of Banking Service Recruitment Board (BSRB) in the Union Budget 2001-02 has evoked mixed reactions with the bank managements welcoming the step and the unions opposing it. Union finance minister Yaswant Sinha has said the BSRB will be abolished by July 31 or earlier. The banks, which have been sharply downsizing the workforce through voluntary separation packages, will handle all future recruitments by themselves. Reacting to the abolition of BSRB, chairman and managing director of Allahabad Bank B. Samal said, 'We had been requesting the government to abolish the BSRB for quite some time. We are happy that we will be able to hire highly professional people from the open market. We are happy that the banks have been given more autonomy.' There has been a virtual freeze on recruitment in general cadres (officers and clerks) through the BSRB, he added. Only recruitments in special cadres like law officers, computer professionals, and foreign exchange officials now take place through BSRB. There is one BSRB in every state. According to a rough estimate, about 13,000 people are recruited now through BSRB each year. 'Earlier the number was huge,' Samal said. The banks place their recruitment plan to the BSRB and the later conduct the recruitment process on behalf of the banks. However, the unions are against the idea of abolishing the BSRB for recruiting people. S. R. Sengupta, general secretary of All India Bank Officers Confederation said, 'The finance minister has given a signal to the bank chairmen to put a freeze on the recruitment. Now, the recruitment will depend on the discretion of the bank management. We oppose this move.' On banking sector reforms, Sinha announced that seven more debt recovery tribunals will be set up this year to speed up recovery. He said the focus will be on the recovery of non-performing assets. Till date, the banking sector has been able to recover Rs 800 crore from two lakh sticky accounts. 'The foreclosure laws will also strengthen the banks to recover the dues,' said a senior official of Central Bank of India. The banks have also lauded the move to cover the farmers all over the country under Kisan credit card within another three years time. Already 1.10 crore farmers have been brought under Kisan credit card. 'Linking Kisan card with personal insurance is also a welcome step. If anything happens to the farmer, we are sure of getting our money back. The entire measure will boost agriculture,' Samal said. A senior official of State Bank of India said the repeal of the Sica Act will provide for powers to the banks to recover their dues. The amendment of Board for Industrial and Industrial reconstruction will further help the process. 'Earlier if a company was referred to BIFR then it took years to recover our dues. Now the major stumbling blocks have been removed and we feel recovery of NPAs will not be a problem anymore,' he further added. The bankers also lauded the finance minister's proposal to widen the base of educational loans. 'While this will ensure credit offtake it will also help the business of the banks to grow,' a senior Punjab National bank official said.