Dear Fellow Access Indians,
It gives us great pleasure to inform you that close on the heals of the RBI
circular in June, The Xavier’s Resource Center for the Visually Challenged
(XRCVC) had lobbied intensively with the Indian Banks Association (IBA) to come
out with a set of inclusive guidelines for visually challenged bank account
holders . They have just issued their circular which we are pasting below for
your record. This circular shortly will also be available on the IBA and XRCVC
websites.
A big thank you to the IBA management and also to Kanchan Pamnani for all their
help and work.
Dr. Sam Taraporevala
Director
XRCVC
IBA CIRCULAR
No.CE/RB-1/vip/1766
November 18, 2008
The Chief Executives of all Member Banks
Dear Sirs,
Providing Banking Facilities to Visually Impaired Persons
We refer to our circular No.CIR/RB/1230 dated February 4, 2006 enclosing
procedural guidelines on the captioned subject. Subsequent to which, we have
received several representations from visually impaired persons regarding the
facilities and services being provided by banks and the ground level
difficulties being faced by them. As you are aware, procedural guidelines were
issued in the context of the order dated September 5, 2005 passed by the Court
of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, New Delhi regarding
facilities to be provided to visually impaired persons.
Following complaints from Visually Impaired Persons, the Commissioner for
Persons with Disabilities had again issued an advisory to the Finance Ministry
and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in May 2008 to take necessary steps to
ensure that visually impaired persons are not denied normal banking facilities.
Subsequently, the RBI, vide circular DBOD.No.Leg BC.91/09.07.005/2007-08 dated
4th June 2008 advised banks that all banks must render the same services to a
visually impaired person as it would to any other person without
discrimination. The Circular stated that the banks, must provide the visually
impaired with every facility viz., cheque Book facility, ATM facility, net
banking facility, locker facility, retail loans, credit cards etc.
Following the above RBI circular, we had examined the need to revise the
procedural guidelines issued in February 2006 in consultation with IBA
Sub-committee on Customer Service and Customer Rights. We also had interactions
with a Mumbai based voluntary organization working for the welfare of Impaired
persons. The interactions indicated that technology innovation in the recent
years had greatly empowered visually impaired persons in leading a normal life.
Technology applications such as screen readers for computers and mobile phones,
which are being used by the visually impaired persons for online/net banking,
were demonstrated to us. Visually impaired persons can read and understand
printed documents etc. by first scanning them and then getting them read out by
the screen reader.
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PAGE : 2 :
Further, we have seen demonstration of finger print technology being developed
by software firm which would enable banks to store thumb impression of visually
impaired persons in place of signature in their system. Cheques authenticated
by them with thumb impression can be scanned and the image compared with that
stored in the system to honor the cheque. It is suggested that when this
technology is fully developed and made available in the market, banks should
consider integrating it with their core banking platform so that cheque book
facility can be extended to a larger segment of visually impaired persons.
Our attention was also drawn to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, which clearly commits to rights of persons with
disability and their access to services. Article 9 of the Convention enables
persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all
aspects of life and also gives them access to facilities and services open or
provided to the public, both in urban and rural areas. Additionally, Article 12
states “ Parties shall take all appropriate and effective measures to ensure
the equal right of persons with disabilities to own or inherit property, to
control their own financial affairs and to have equal access to bank loans,
mortgages and other forms of financial credit, and shall ensure that persons
with disabilities are not arbitrarily deprived of their property."
It is expected that the guidelines issued by the RBI would result in an
increase in the number of ATM cards issued to visually impaired persons. This
would enhance the case for installation of talking ATMs to facilitate hassle
free operations by visually impaired persons. Banks are requested to consider
installing talking ATMs wherever feasible.
Keeping in view the above, we have revised the procedural guidelines for
providing banking facilities to visually impaired persons, copy of which is
enclosed. While finalizing the document the Sub-Committee took into
consideration that request for ATM facilities, online banking facilities etc.,
would come only from visually impaired persons who are capable of using the
applications. Members are requested to kindly consider the revised procedural
guidelines and issue necessary instructions to the operating staff.
Yours faithfully,
K Unnikrishnan
Dy. Chief Executive
Encl:A/a
PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES FOR BANKING FACILITIES TO
VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS
I. General Instructions
Banking facilities for visually impaired persons should be offered at all
branches of the bank.
Banks should not equate visually impaired customers with illiterate customers.
All Banks must provide the same facilities to a visually impaired
customer/prospective customer as it would to any other customer. But at the
same time the customers should be made aware of the risk involved in some of
these facilities which may be higher than that for a normal customer.
Additional facilities like reading and filling up of forms, slips, cheques
should be provided to a visually impaired customer, if required.
Banks should not deny any services to visually impaired customers including
visually impaired customers who use their thumb impression for operating the
bank account.
A visually impaired customer must not be forced to operate the bank account
jointly with any person or in the presence of any person.
Visually impaired customers may be allowed to appoint a person/persons as their
Power of Attorney or Mandate Holder to operate their bank account if the
visually impaired customer so desires.
II. Opening of Bank Accounts
All banking products offered by the bank should be made available to visually
impaired persons.
The bank must follow the same procedure for opening the account of a visually
impaired person as it does for its other customers.
He / She must be allowed to open the account either singly or jointly with
others.
The Bank must allow the visually impaired customer to open a joint account with
anybody that he/she chooses including person(s) who is/are visually impaired.
The Officer / Manager of the branch should read out the rules of business and
other terms and conditions in the presence of a witness, if required by the
customer.
The bank branch manager must inform a visually impaired customer/prospective
customer of his rights and liabilities before opening the account.
The documentation requirements of a visually impaired customer must be the same
as any other customer.
The account has to be clearly marked as "the account holder is visually
impaired".
III. Withdrawal of cash / Cheque book facility
Facilities for withdrawal of cash as are provided to all customers regarding
cash payments must be provided to visually impaired customers.
In case a visually impaired customer makes cash withdrawals at the bank then
the payment must be made in the presence of another bank employee/officer. No
outside witnesses are required unless the visually impaired customer requests
that such witnesses be present.
Operations should not be restricted to self-withdrawals.
Cheque book facility should not be denied to visually impaired person.
All procedures pertaining to the use of such cheque books by visually impaired
customers must be in accordance with that the other customers.
Cheques issued by visually impaired persons to third parties should be
honoured, if otherwise in order.
IV. Credit Cards /Debit Cards
Visually impaired customers must be issued credit cards/debit cards on request.
All rules and regulation regarding credit/debit card must be available on the
web-site of the respective bank in accessible format. These should be read out
to visually impaired persons and perceived risk factors explained to them.
Banks may consider issuing Credit/Debit Card with Photograph. This Photograph
will work as a identification/verification.
V. ATM/Debit Cards
Visually impaired customers must be permitted to avail of ATM facilities.
Banks should also ensure that the ATMs are accessible to other categories of
persons with disabilities such as the orthopedically disabled.
VI. On Line Banking / Mobile Banking and Tele Banking/Phone Banking
All banks must have Accessible websites and conform to international
accessibility standards.
All customer facing applications such as web applications, desktop applications
and mobile applications should be accessible to visually impaired persons.
The banks should have alternate methods of user authentication/password
verification.
All features especially those related to customer security must be accessible
visually impaired persons.
VII. Lockers
Visually impaired customers should be provided with locker facility on request.
Suitable lockers conveniently located for operations may be allotted.
Bank procedures for issuing a locker to a visually impaired customer must be
the same as to any other customer.
A visually impaired customer may be given the following options for operation
of locker:
Operation – Singly
Operation - Singly with the assistance of a reliable person, as per the choice
of the Applicant.
Operation - Jointly.
A visually impaired customer may request the person in-charge of the locker to
be present when the locker is opened or to check if nothing has been left
behind or fallen after the locker is closed.
VIII. Loans
Loans must be made available to visually impaired customers as are offered to
other customers and their impairment of vision should not be a criterion for
sanctioning/denying a loan.
No additional burden of interest payment, collateral and other terms should be
imposed on the visually impaired customer.
**********
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