Chennai: Are you aware of the doorstep facilities banks are mandated to provide for elderly or differently abled people? Or upload/update the life certificates of pensioners received at non-home branch of the pension paying bank?
As per the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Nov. 9, 2017, circular, senior citizens or those above 70 years of age and differently abled persons must be provided basic banking services like pick up or delivery of cash, demand drafts, submission of know your customer (KYC) documents, and life certificates, at their residence.
The initiative aims to facilitate those who can't stand in long ATM queues or are not in a position to perform bank-related tasks on their own.
RBI statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies in October 2017 that banks are discouraging or turning away senior citizens and differently abled persons from availing banking facilities in bran-
ches.
"Notwithstanding the need to push digital transactions and use of ATMs, it is imperative to be sensitive to the requirements of senior citizens and differently abled persons," the statement said.
The banks have been told to implement these instructions by Dec.31, 2017, in letter and spirit.
To save such customers from any kind of inconvenience or harassment, banks should have an identifiable dedicated counter where their queries are addressed and banking tasks are performed swiftly.
Ease of submitting life certificate
Pensioners can submit physical 'life certificate' form at any pension paying bank branch to get a 'digital life certificate' under the Jeevan Praman Scheme. Banks have to ensure that when a life certificate is submitted in any branch, including a non-home branch, of the pension paying bank, the same is updated - uploaded promptly in the Core Banking Solution (CBS) by the receiving branch itself, to avoid any delay in the credit of pension.
Also, banks have to provide a cheque book with minimum 25 leaves for savings account every year free of charge. Banks shall not insist on physical presence of any customer, including senior citizens and differently abled persons, for issuing cheque books.
