Kanchan! is This the same which i sent you few days back or something else? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pamnani" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 1:09 PM Subject: ***PROBABLE SPAM*** [AI] Indian Banks Association
Indian Banks' Association No.CIR/RB/ J 23O 4th February, 2006 The Chief Executives of all member banks Dear Sirs, Providing Banking facilities to Visually Impaired Persons Kindly refer to our circular No. RB/CIR/693 dated 20th October, 2005 enclosing the order dated 5th September, 2005 passed by the Court of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in case No. 279/2003/3910 regarding facilities to be provided to the visually impaired persons by the bank for information and compliance. Member banks have desired that IBA issue procedural guidelines to banks, for uniform implementation of the direction of the Chief Commissioner having regard to the risk involved in allowing visually impaired persons to operate lockers without insisting on joint operations and also providing talking ATM etc., For this purpose, IBA constituted a Working Group consisting of Senior Executives drawn from State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, Bank of India, Syndicate Bank and Corporation Bank. The Working Group met in the IBA office on 12tn January, 2006 and prepared the Procedural Guidelines covering all aspects of the directive of the commission for the implementation in the banking industry. The Working Group also suggested that member banks may consider waiving the inter bank service charges for blind persons for using ATMs of other banks as a special case. It was pointed out that considering the number of ATM transaction being availed by the visually impaired persons is very low, it may not be necessary for all banks to make their ATMs talking machines. Banks could decide amongst themselves to install one talking ATM in a particular area so that at least one such ATM is available for catering the needs of blind persons in that locality. The Working Group felt that it would be a good gesture of the banking industry if this facility was extended to the blind persons. While appreciating the spirit behind the suggestion for the banks to examine the possibility of installing ATM facilities which can be used by visually impaired persons, it was suggested that H§A may invite ATM manufacturers and have presentation made by them on the technology features of the talking ATM for the blind persons. In the meantime, we are happy to enclose a copy of the Procedural Guidelines prepared by the Working Group. We do hope these Guidelines would serve as a useful reference document. Yours faithfully, K Unnikrishnan Senior Vice President World Trade Centre, 6th Floor, Centre 1 Bldg., World Trade Centre Complex, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai - 400 005. Phone : 2217 4040, Fax : 2218 4222 PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES PROVIDING BANKING FACILITIES TO VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS -DECISION OF CHIEF COMMISSIONER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES I. Opening of an Account Procedure 1. Visually impaired person must come in person for opening the account 2. He / She may be allowed to open the account either singly / jointly, whom he / she considers reliable 3. The Officer / Manager of the branch should read out the rules of business and other terms and conditions in the presence of a witness known to the bank. The signature of the witness, for having done this, shall be obtained in the account opening form. 4. Three passport size photographs of the visually impaired person be obtained and affixed one each on the Account Opening form; Specimen Signature Card and Passbook. The signature / left thumb impression of the visually impaired person and the counter signature of the Manager / Officer should be affixed on the photograph. 5. Even in the case of literate visually impaired persons, in addition to his signature, thumb impression should be obtained on the Specimen Signature Card. 6. The account has to be clearly marked as "the account holder is visually impaired" 7. Cash payments to a visually impaired person should always be made in the presence of a person known to the bank who should sign as a witness. While such a witness should be preferably customer of the Bank, a Bank official other than the paying cashier may also sign as a witness. 8. Considering each case on its merits, discretion to the next of kin of a visually impaired customer to operate his account as a representative of the visually impaired person by taking necessary precautions, such as obtention of letter of authority to operate the account. 9. Passbook should always be brought by visually impaired person for withdrawal and the entries and balance should be read out to him in confidence. 10. Operations are restricted to self-withdrawals through loose-leaf only. In exceptional cases, cheque books may be issued. 11. Issue of Post-dated Cheque Books to Visually impaired persons Procedure 1. Issue of requisite number of post dated cheques to visually impaired persons for the purpose of availing financial assistance can be permitted. 2. A written request shall be obtained from such persons indicating the details of loan facility availed by them and the number of installments payable, etc. 3. A copy of the sanction, wherever possible, of such financial institutions, should also be obtained. 4. The applicant should affix his LHTI / RHTI on the request letter and attested by a customer well known to the bank. 5. Upon review of the need for issuance of cheque books to the applicant and after verification of the photograph, branch manager should specifically authorize issue of number of cheque leaves to be issued. 6. The cheque leaves should be drawn payable in favour of the financial institution's account of so and so (eg. Canara Bank A/c Sri / Smt ). The amount and date on the cheque leaves also should be filled up. 7. The issue of cheque leaves should be recorded in the cheque book issued register and applicants' LHTI should be got affixed and the same should be got attested. 8. Supervisor shall note the particulars of such cheque leaves on the letter of request clearly indicating that they are drawn in favour of the Financial Institution. Page 2 of 5 9. Issue of such cheque leaves with full particulars shall be noted on the ledger folio customer master with clear instructions of number of cheques issued, beneficiary, amount, date, etc. 10. The branch-in-charge / line managers should ensure that the required number of cheque leaves only are issued, cheques are drawn properly, letter of request bears the confirmation from the supervisor, etc. and attest the LHTI / RHTI of the applicant, in the cheque leaves. 11. When the cheques are received for payment, they should be scrutinized in all respects and ensure that the cheques are paid only in favour of Financial Institutions. III. LOCKER OPERATIONS Procedure: 1. Visually impaired person may be provided with a locker facility. He / She must be a customer of the branch, having a SB account. 2. Suitable locker convenient for operations may be allotted. 3. Apart from Locker agreement, suitable indemnity should also be obtained, depending upon the mode of locker operation. 4. He may be given the following options for operation of locker: a) Operation - Singly b) Operation - Singly with the assistance of a reliable person, as per the choice of the applicant. c) Operation - Jointly 5. We may encourage the applicant to singly operate the locker, if the applicant, so desires. a) Operation - Singly: 1. The applicant may be clearly informed that Bank is not responsible for the contents kept in the locker. A suitable letter of undertaking may be obtained in the beginning. 2. Locker can be operated by the applicant - singly. 3. Any operation carried out in the locker, by the applicant, is at his own risk and bank is not liable for any claim made at a future date. Page 3 of 5 4. If the applicant is confident of operating the locker without any assistance, he may do so. In case of necessity, supervisor in-charge of lockers may accompany the applicant and assist him for locker operations. 6. For each and every locker operation made, a separate attendance register be maintained wherein, it should be clearly marked as to the mode of operation. In case the supervisor accompanies the applicant and assisted him, the supervisor's signature should also appear in the attendance register, along with the LTHI / RTH1 of the applicant. 7. As soon as the locker operation is over, supervisor-in-charge of lockers should go personally to the locker room and verify that the particular locker cabinet is securely locked and that no item has been left out in the locker room. This has to be done, before allowing any other person to carry out their locker operations. 8. The applicant should be informed by the supervisor, before the applicant leaves the branch premises, that he has verified the locker cabinet and that it has been securely locked and that no item has been left out in the locker room. This would enhance the confidence of the locker applicant. 9. A declaration from the applicant for being informed by the bank official on the above lines, may be obtained duly countersigned by the Supervisor-in-Charge of lockers. b) Operation - Singly with the assistance of a reliable person, as per choice of the applicant: 1. The name and address of the person, his relationship to the applicant, if any, etc. shall be provided by the locker applicant and the same should be recorded in the locker register. 2. The photograph of the person who is nominated for assistance should be obtained and affixed in the locker register. 3. Whenever the nominated person accompanies the locker applicant, his identity has to be first verified through his photo and signature and then only to be allowed. 4. Locker attendance register should bear the signatures of both the applicant and the nominated person. 5. In Page 4 of 5 5. For each operation, the same nominated person alone should accompany the applicant. In other words, different persons accompanying the locker holder on varying occasions should not be allowed. c) Operation - Jointly: 1. Visually impaired person may have joint operation facility. 2. The joint locker holder should not be a visually impaired person. 3. At no point of time, the joint account holder, without the presence of the visually impaired account holder, be permitted to operate the locker. Kanchan Pamnani Advocate & Solicitor 9, Suleman Chambers, Battery Street, Colaba, Mumbai - 400 039. To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. 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